Artesanato Day

I am not a good shopper but I do love seeing the real artisans using traditional methods of craftsmanship. They are fighting the wave of cheap imported copies, and may ultimately lose the battle. But going out to the pueblos and watching them at work was very interesting and gave hope that the traditional methods will survive.

We went to four different pueblos, one was dedicated to red clay, one to weaving, one to black clay, and one to making those fantastic painted alebrijes. Each town had its own artisans, all working by hand to produce high quality products.

But aahhh the alebrijes. They are creatures made by combining several real animals into one, and the result is something half-real, half-fantasy. All based in Zapoteca tradition. The process is incredibly labor intensive. From carving the copal wood and then drying it and treating it before painting. One guy in the taller does nothing other than prepare the carved wood for painting. This involves filling the cracks that have emerged spontaneously as the wood dries. And then sanding. All by hand. Then comes the painting, omg the painting.. The paints are plant based and then mixed with either honey or mezcal to change the shade or the brilliance. Each little pot of paint made by hand and mixed with love. And each tiny row of minuscule geometric design on the figures reproduces some Zapoteca symbol—for love, sorrow, fidelity, honor, etc. It takes weeks to paint one of these figurines.

Ok I confess I bought one. It was what Joe would call an impulse purchase but it’s beautiful and fantastical. And it felt good to support the preservation of these traditions in some small way.

We’re now sitting on a terrace in a restaurant overlooking the Zocalo, with music playing a marimba and spontaneous dancing by anyone so inclined. Sone seem professional, most just there for fun. Our waiter tells us this happens every night.

Lots of traditions seem to be surviving!Read more