The word hammock comes from the Spanish root word -maka, meaning “stretch of cloth.” Hammocks were essential in ancient native cultures for helping people sleep above the ground to avoid insects, snake bites and disease. Early hammocks were woven out of tree bark, and later transitioned to more abundant sisal fibers or palm fronds, depending on the maker’s location. Europeans adopted the design aboard naval ships for more economical use of tight space and to protect sailors from falling out of wooden bunks during rough seas. These simple fabric beds are so versatile, astronauts aboard Apollo lunar expeditions used them to avoid sleeping on the cold cabin floor of the space shuttles.
Today, hammocks remain an important part of the artisanal culture throughout South America. In fact, the municipality of Concepción Quezaltepeque in El Salvador celebrates a traditional Hammocks Festival every November, where artisans produce and sell hand-woven hammocks.