Las mejores historias no se inventan: se descubren. La de Textiles of Oaxaca es una de esas narrativas que, cuando la conoces a fondo, te resulta imposible mirar hacia otro lado. The state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico has a noteworthy tradition of finely crafted textiles, particularly handmade embroidery and woven goods that frequently use a backstrap loom
El contexto histórico
The state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico has a noteworthy tradition of finely crafted textiles, particularly handmade embroidery and woven goods that frequently use a backstrap loom. Oaxaca is home to several different groups of indigenous peoples, each of which has a distinctive textile tradition. Most notably present in the state of Oaxaca are the Zapotec, Nahua and Mixtec tribes. Each of these groups of indigenous people contributed their own influences on the modern atuendos or “attires” in Oaxaca today. Textiles and particular clothing garments and accessories can tell a lot about the culture in which they were produced. By analyzing the textiles, the technology used to create the garment can be deciphered. Many of the tools used were similar throughout Mexico, however, some tools were more common in specific regions or villages, resulting in many of the similarities in embroidery and patterns. The different garments created in Oaxaca also differ based on the indigenous peoples’ vie
Los hechos clave
Oaxacan fibers may be hand spun from cotton or locally cultivated silk. Traditional dye sources include Purpura pansa among the Huave, Chontal, and Mixtec people. The Chontal and Mazatec also utilize cochineal to attain bright red tones. According to Alejandro de Ávila B., founding director of the Ethnobotanical Garden in Oaxaca, the region’s biological diversity yields Mexico’s greatest variety of fibers and dyes, and “the technical sophistication of Oaxaca’s textiles is unparalleled in the country.” Traditional clothing items among the peoples of Oaxaca include the huipil, a women’s blouse constructed from several panels; the ceñidor, a type of sash among the Mazatec; and the paño, a Chinantec head covering. Handcrafted Oaxacan textiles employ plainweave, brocade patterns, gauze weave. Much can be said about the technology being used to create these textiles based on the final product when they are complete. In ancient Mexico, waist looms were used to craft the garments. These speci
Dato clave: Further reading Armitage, Careyn P.
Lo que revelan las investigaciones
Other symbolic uses Traditionally, Oaxacan women wrap a red faja (a woven sash) around their waists as a protection from evil.
Further reading Armitage, Careyn P. (2008). Silk production and its impact on families and communities in Oaxaca, Mexico (dissertation). Iowa State University. Retrieved February 26, 2013. External links University of Houston Digital Library - hand-colored photographs taken by photographer, Luis Marquez, in the 1930s of people in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Las implicaciones
Textiles of Oaxaca has been the subject of considerable study and documentation. The state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico has a noteworthy tradition of finely crafted textiles, particularly handmade embroidery and woven goods that frequently use a backstrap loom. Oaxaca is home to several different groups of indigenous peoples, each of which has a distinctive textile tradition.
Por qué esta historia importa
La historia de Textiles of Oaxaca no es solo un relato del pasado. Es un espejo que nos ayuda a entender el México de hoy — sus contradicciones, su resiliencia, sus retos y su potencial. Conocerla es un primer paso hacia una conversación más honesta sobre el país y la sociedad que queremos construir.
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