Panama hat mountain range. Hat weaving and wearing grew steadily in Ecuador through the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1835, Manuel Alfaro, a man who in many ways can be considered the grandfather of the Panama hat, arrived in Montecristi to make his name and fortune in Panama hats. He set up a Panama hat business with his main objective being exportation. Cargo ships from Guayaquil and Manta were filled with his merchandise and headed to the Gulf of Panama. His business prospered as more and more Gold Rush prospectors arrived and passed through Panama needing a hat for the sun. One
Panama ingredients are maize, rice, wheat flour, plantains, "yuca" (cassava), beef, chicken, pork and seafood. Panamanian men's traditional clothing, called "montuno", consists of white cotton shirts, trousers and woven straw hats. The traditional women's clothing is the "pollera". It originated in Spain in the 16th century, and by the early 1800s it was typical in Panama, worn by female servants, especially wet nurses ("De Zarate" 5). Later, it was adopted by upper-class women. A "pollera" is made of "cambric" or "fine linen" (Baker 177). It is white, and is usually about 13 yards of material. The original "pollera" consists of a