The tradition of making balls from banana leaf sheaths, once used by children to play football during times of hardship, has been brought back to life in Arucas. A local carpenter, known by his nickname, has revived this forgotten practice in his workshop in El Puertillo, guided by his mentor.
“"Someone asked me if I could make a ball from banana leaves because I am very handy, but I had never done it before. Armando overheard that conversation and told me he would teach me if I brought the material."
The learning process began a couple of months ago, driven by an interest in this craft. The 84-year-old mentor recalls that “everyone used to know how to make these balls, because there was no other way to play; we could only buy second-hand ones from Arucas for 30 duros, which was a lot of money at the time.”
The carpenter's workshop, now a small museum after his retirement, houses antique items such as football boots from 55 years ago, a century-old wooden crucifix, and numerous photographs, including one of a sailor friend who saved many people on the coast of Arucas. In this space, the artisan has applied improvements to the traditional technique, such as using cork from a water tank float as an inner base to achieve a rounder shape and better-crafted strips. Previously, the husks of banana hands were used.
The process of making these balls involves cutting banana stalks, opening the leaves, and letting the sheaths dry in the sun for 10 days. Afterwards, the ball is crafted by wrapping the cork with the strips, one to the right and one to the left, and finished with a moistened rod to compact it. Additionally, the carpenter impregnates the exterior with linseed oil to increase its durability and enhance its aesthetic appeal. This retired artisan, aged 74, dedicates approximately an hour to crafting each ball, using about 20 banana leaf strips.
The uniqueness of these creations has attracted attention. A neighbor from El Puertillo gifted one of these balls to a football coach from Bilbao, who was surprised by it. The artisan has also given two to a director of Scouting and Training for Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, who uses them to illustrate old-school football during his talks. Despite their original fragility, the carpenter believes that the cork is the secret to improving the resistance of these balls.
