REMOVING FIBER FROM HENEQUEN PLANTS
by Louise Vogel of Mérida,Yucatán
henequen mill for removing fibers
Henequen mill, or desfibradora, with henequen blades, or pencas, stacked out front
Photo by Ruth McMurtry of Mérida

{See inside a henequen mill here}

If there is one plant that could stand as the symbol of the Yucatan, it would be the Henequen plant. In tracing its story, the history of the Yucatan will be revealed in all its diverse layers. Although the peninsula is home to many fiber plants and although they have all played important roles, the henequen is the one plant that was there in the beginning --and still is.

Traditional Method:
Mechanical Method: