To the sounds of the party drums of Wixarica, whose cities span Jalisco, Nayarit, Durango and Zacatecas, the fifth Mexican Textile Arts Meeting opened Thursday to hundreds of attendees at the Los Pinos Cultural Complex. This edition brought together more than 400 professional artisans from 32 states of the country and 32 indigenous peoples, and was organized by Original, the government initiative that seeks to promote and raise awareness about artisanal work and which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary.
From the Las Caracolas group, Daniela Islas, who is participating in the event for the first time, shares the importance of these types of initiatives for them: “We have dolls, bags, turbans, key chains and photo frames that are part of our identity. What we want is to make our population of African descent visible through these products with an African touch.” Aside from the stunning colors of the wares they sell, their booth features exotic seashells adorning the frames that evoke their origin: Acapulco. “For us, they are important because we say they are able to withstand any adversity, like our brown ancestors,” says Islas.
Dozens of signs throughout the site allow visitors to catch a glimpse of the cultural diversity that local communities reflect in a wide range of products: from textiles and jewelry to pottery, metalwork, and wood. In her speech, Culture Minister Claudia Curiel de Icaza highlighted the authenticity of each piece: “It speaks about the deepest part of our country, which is our view of the world.” Maria Dolores Hernandez, an artisan from Tlapihuala, Guerrero, who makes palm hats and is participating for the fourth time, agrees that each piece is unique and has a valuable cultural background. “They are traditions that our parents inherited from us and passed on to us so that we can continue to share our craftsmanship, which is often lost, but which we struggle to save,” he comments. Each hat takes about 10 days to make, between choosing the right plant, designing, braiding and coloring.
Huabango guitars liven up the morning when hundreds of people visit the pavilions. Judy, an American woman who has lived in the capital for two years, says coming here “is always a pleasure” and highlights the opportunity to buy directly from the artisans. “Don’t talk to someone who sells their stuff and then resells it.” Moreover, in keeping with one of the slogans of the exhibition that seeks to discourage bargaining and valorization of this type of product, he defends: “You pay for their work, so if it is expensive, I will respect the price of the artisans because you pay for it.” Iris and Consuelo, the other visitors from Michoacan and Guerrero, respectively, are happy with the organization. Both emphasize that each artisan’s name appears to give the customer certainty and confidence in what they are purchasing.
From the Yacura Mountain Range, Sonora, Ibeth Molina says excitedly that this meeting allows her to promote her community’s work. “It’s a project called ‘Identity Embroidery’ to save Pima traditions and culture,” he explains. Among the tortilla makers, it is the tablecloths and clothing that can be seen at their stall, the designs adorning them that attract attention. “The figures in the cave paintings were embroidered in the caves of the community we live in. Each figure is captured in the cave and each has a meaning,” he explains. Thus, the drawings of coyotes represent animal husbandry, and the circular shape with two lines on the sides represents the uterus and fallopian tubes, which symbolizes women’s fertility.
The event takes place from Thursday, November 27 to Sunday, November 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. At the Los Pinos Cultural Complex, admission is free. It is part of the government’s strategy to “strengthen the defense of communal property and celebrate the cultural wealth of Mexico”, and it has yet to emerge Controversies over cultural appropriation Designs emerging from different indigenous communities are featured by global brands. The enthusiasm is felt in the air and in each of the pavilions where the artisans receive customers. For Juan Dominguez, who is participating for the first time, the meeting has special meaning because it is a platform to make something clearer. “I’m originally from southern Veracruz, from a municipality called Cosuliakaki. I’m dedicated to making the backstrap loom. I’m the first person in my family to make it, and no one else is as dedicated to it.” And Trench: “We young people are also interested in the loom and preserving this culture that is being lost.”