The
Nautical
Archaeology
Digital Library

The Culimochos

Rene Estupiñan

Introduction

I am a descendant of one of the shipwright families of Mulatos and I am recording the methods used in my family to design and construct ships.

With Elizabeth Parra I am investigating the story and the life of my community, trying to establish where we came from, when, how we learned how to build vessels following the best practices of the 19th century, and how my people lived and died on the Pacific coast of Colombia.

 

Design Process

The traditional ships of Mulatos are built from wooden half-models.