Craftspeople in Paraguay make record-breaking ox cart, weighing 20x heavier than a heifer
Standing taller than a giraffe, and longer than a London bus, a group of craftspeople in the Paraguayan Chaco have assembled the largest ox cart of all time – honouring their Mennonite heritage piece-by-piece as they created this record-breaking transportation.
Towering over the surrounding landscape, dozens of planks of local Lapacho wood were fused together to make a rustic vehicle of the following dimensions: 15.9 m (52.16 ft) long, 6.4 m (20.99 ft) wide, 6.9 m (22.63 ft) tall.
Created by Wilbert Sawatzky (Paraguay) – a local craftsman with decades of experience in livestock and construction – the colossal cart rode into the record books in Loma Plata, Boquerón, Paraguay, this 17 October, whilst in the presence of a Guinness World Records adjudicator and a proud group of family and friends.
For generations, the Mennonite communities in the rural Gran Chaco region of Paraguay have used ox carts to get around the remote area. Within the wilderness, they transformed portions of the arid landscape into hospitable terrain, raising their families within their faith and traditional customs.
Wilbert is one of the members of this close-knit group, and he says that he was inspired to complete the attempt as a way to celebrate his forebearers and bring together the locals at his farm, Rancho Tucán.
“Building ox carts has been my passion for 25 years, and creating this giant traditional cart is a tribute to the pioneers and communities of the Paraguayan Chaco who built our region using these very vehicles,” he said to GWR.
“Seeing our tradition recognized with a Guinness World Records title alongside my family at Rancho Tucán is a moment of immense gratitude and pride for all of us.”
To build the gargantuan wagon, Wilbert and his team sized-up a traditional cart, keeping the same proportions as they would use on the regular versions. Artisan Silvio Grance oversaw much of the construction process, while Wilbert provided general aide and helped keep the mission on track.
Over the course of months, the structure was slowly assembled out of the massive timbers, and gradually all the pieces began to fall into place.
Farmers would bring in extra logs from the forest, transported atop smaller ox carts – and soon giant wheels and smooth spokes appeared at the workshop, made out of sanded wood and placed carefully into position.
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Once the majority of the structure was built, Silvio and his team brought the pieces out to Rancho Tucán, and worked alongside Wilbert to create the final product.
Some ox carts have roofs atop the vehicle for climate protection, but the group decided to leave their cart open – in honour of the traditional style, and to let visitors climb atop the wagon and catch unobstructed views of the Chaco landscape.
And soon enough, the record-breaking cart was complete – ready for Guinness World Records Adjudicator Natalia Ramirez Talero, who made her way out to the remote colony to evaluate their craftsmanship.
Surrounded by the rich regional biodiversity – such as oxen, toucans, anteaters, and other local wildlife roaming near the attempt site – she confirmed the dimensions with the help of some qualified surveyors.
“Auditing this 14-tonne ox cart alongside topographers in the Paraguayan Chaco was incredible,” she said. “Verifying its 15.9 m (52.16 ft) length and traditional native wood structure proved how deep cultural roots run here.
“Celebrating this record with Wilbert and his family was truly inspiring.”
So congratulations to this crafty community – Wilbert and the rest of the talented folks in the Paraguayan Chaco, you are Officially Amazing!