In the homes of Medellín’s elite, domestic staff were indispensable and numbered in the dozens. It was common to find a cook, a housekeeper, a nanny, a wet nurse and a footman, as well as laundresses, ironers and seamstresses. These roles kept the households running and reflected the social organisation of the time.
The working day in these traditional households began at four o’clock in the morning, when the maids ground the maize and baked the arepas for breakfast. Their work continued for as long as their employers required, with no days off or holidays. It was not until the 1930s that they were allowed to have Sunday afternoons off, marking a small improvement in their working conditions.
One of the rooms that underwent the most change was the kitchen. In the early days, it was separated from the living quarters, as wood-burning stoves filled the houses with smoke. Over time, and thanks to the arrival of electricity, this room became an integral part of the home, reflecting a change in lifestyle.
