Lost and Confused in Panama

[Panamabob]

Yeah, I'm all but finished here. The rich get richer, and the Montecristi industry dies.

$24K my eye. I'll be earning less than that myself in Ecuador. You have no idea.

Here's a photo or two of a couple of the houses we are looking at near Quito: Compare these to Don Alarcon's and Don Simon's, and remember, I'll be making much less money, supposedly, than either.

Again, anyone, and I mean anyone, is welcomed to come to Ecuador and I'll take you to buy a hat and allow you to ask any question you'd like. Also, feel free to email or call Daniel, the guy making the film, and ask his opinion, too. He's been there, done that as well...with all of the top players mentioned or unmentioned.



Now, I see Mike has added below the lead-in for the, "but of course, the money goes to the Montecristi Foundation." Ignorance is bliss. I'll take lots of photos of the riches in Montecristi and report weekly on the new found wealth.

Now, I'm finished here.

 

[Mike Hammered]

It would gravely trouble me if Brent wasn't being truthful about the giving some 40% of the revenue off a hat back to the artist

Thanks MD11 for this important addition.

It begs the transparency question: If the weaver is earning 40% of the selling price of the hat, where is the remaining 60% going?


Mike

 

[RBH]

Just a note Robert.. I like the looks of the first house.
Oh and good luck!!!!!!! I am sure I am not the only one that wish you the best!!! :eusa_clap

 

[Panamabob]

The first house has a small yard and the second has 1/2 an acre or so. There are many more. If you get bored, do a search for: alquiler casa cumbaya

and you'll see what we're wading through.

 

[MD11]

Thanks MD11 for this important addition.

It begs the transparency question: If the weaver is earning 40% of the selling price of the hat, where is the remaining 60% going?


Mike

If in fact he is giving the artist 40%, 60% would be a fair return on his investment into the business.. keeping in mind these aren't exactly flying off the shelf on a weekly basis!

 

[Aviator]

Bob, I've spent a lot amount of time in Manta and have been to Montechristi a dozen times over the last 6 years. It looks like things have improved (the large white church and square have really been fixed up in the last few years and Manta has grown as well), but the place has a long way to go.

Still, I enjoy talking to the people, and I love the beach at San Lorenzo (I think that is the name...where La Cueva is). Montechristi is where I picked up my hats (wish I had discovered this site before I went down there to be more educated, but oh well), and it was a pleasure to talk to the folks I purchased from.

I know quite a few of the families from them selling stuff in Manta, and I donate children's clothes to them whenever I am down there. Good for you for your efforts there...I hope you success as bringing business to the artisans that make these hats is to be commended. And bringing this art to us...well, I'm sure that there are many that appreciate it.

 

[Mike Hammered]

Now, I see Mike has added below the lead-in for the, "but of course, the money goes to the Montecristi Foundation." Ignorance is bliss. I'll take lots of photos of the riches in Montecristi and report weekly on the new found wealth.

Now, I'm finished here.

Hey, PB. Where's the lovin'?

We are here to learn, and you are in a position to educate us and increase sales!

Just about every Panama hat website seems to be premised on helping the weavers weave. Therefore, MD11's point is valid and naturally leads to the question of who gets what.

I hope we aren't misunderstanding each other's motives here. You are a seller, we are buyers and we all want to contribute to making the joy that this wonderful product brings a continuing possibility.

There are questions, and if you could help us to answer them, the world will be a clearer and maybe better place.

Also, nice looking homes! I can almost taste the ice-cold beer you'll be drinking under a garden umbrella in the near future.

Mike

 

[Panamabob]

(the large white church and square have really been fixed up in the last few years and Manta has grown as well),

The square has been spiffed up because Congress is now meeting in Montecristi. They have to make Montecristi look good. Go out to Pile, Las Cruces, and Pampas to see how the weavers live, not just the hat finishers and sellers.

 

[HungaryTom]

Discussion

This entire thread appears like we are talking to each other without listening.

I wonder what happened if someone exchanged the payroll of yours with an average hat weaver.

I wonder whether your posts would be still that cheerful and jolly optimistic with 200-300 dollars in net earnings per months.

Naturally the posts wouldn't be cheerful - they would not exist at all. Because you could not even post on message boards from that money. Just like the real life weavers. They can not jump in to say what they really think - they are filmed and are kept on a short string. Like rare animals behind bars in the zoo.

They weave all the time to survive - no time and no money to leave their slums and enjoy life on the beach, the tourist mile, etc.

And please tell me how it is possible that a weaver family with 4 best weavers of the world plus one junior where the father alone makes 24000 dollars/yr - lives in such a shack after years of weaving. Such shadings are called 'putri' in Hungary -second world- where penniles Gypsies live.

If all is well, why did Simon Espinal want to emigrate? He raises his children and teaches them to practice that ancient art among those conditions - he and his fellow weavers are the only heroes here.

 

[Mike Hammered]

This entire thread appears like we are talking to each other without listening.

Hungary Tom,

I think we've made great progress here!

Mike

PS. Tom, it looks like the FL crashed and dumped just about everything but the final pages of the treads on the board. Do you think you could re-post the pictures of your Panamas, including the close-up shot of the weave?

M.

 

[Panamabob]

Tom, I'm convinced that there is an agenda. These conversations start every so often, as you can see from the archives.

 

[univibe88]

Hungary Tom,

I think we've made great progress here!

Mike

PS. Tom, it looks like the FL crashed and dumped just about everything but the final pages of the treads on the board. Do you think you could re-post the pictures of your Panamas, including the close-up shot of the weave?

M.

It looks like they did a recovery with a save set from around April 3. So there is a hole of missing data from then up until May 5.

 

[Mike Hammered]

Tom, I'm convinced that there is an agenda. These conversations start every so often, as you can see from the archives.

PB,

Now, I'm really confused.

What would the agenda be?

Mike

 

[HungaryTom]

We..must ... rebuild

Life has proven how volatile and fragile online contents are - the physical hats in your hands count.

However pictures are nice - here we go again.

 

[Mike Hammered]

Life has proven how volatile and fragile online contents are - the physical hats in your hands count.

However pictures are nice - here we go again.

Tom,

Right you are. "Men come and go, but the hats abide."

Thanks. They look great!

To confirm, you went with the Espinal Fino, correct?

 

[HungaryTom]

Tom,

Right you are. "Men come and go, but the hats abide."

Thanks. They look great!

To confirm, you went with the Espinal Fino, correct?

Mike,

First I went for the fino fino commissioned range - in 2006 they were not yet advertised as Espinal.
The second time I went for Espinal.
The third (Optimo block - the hat with the thin ribbon) was a "plain" superfino.
On e-bay.
All this during the Golden Era - before the crash came.

 

[Panamabob]

Another video:

When they switch back to Montecristi, that is Don Rosendo Delgado. When she talks about the 60 hats going to Germany (you'll note that they are Cuencanos), you can see Modesto (look in my avatar) helping his Aunt and Uncle (Rosendo).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVm_ZbKVnTk

 

[Mike Hammered]

Tom, I'm convinced that there is an agenda. These conversations start every so often, as you can see from the archives.

With all the excitement about the nice audio-visual links, the explanation of what the agenda is seems to have gotten moved to the back burner.

Mike

 

[Panamabob]

:eusa_clap

 

[Mike Hammered]

:eusa_clap

PB,

I began this thread with a desire to find out more about buying these wonderful hats because I am quite interested in purchasing a high-end product and hope to make the most informed purchase possible.

Mike