RUG WEAVERS OF OAXACA

Pandemic Effects: Episode 1

Pondering the effects of the current pandemic brings to mind all those Mexican people I have met, heard, or read about since I’ve been here who are caught in the grips of such mind-boggling change while trying to carry on their normal day to day routines.  I fear for their lives, for their health, and for their subsistence.  Let me tell you about the rug weavers of Oaxaca.

Forty minutes south of Oaxaca City, nestled in the hills, is the Zapotec village of Teotitlán Del Valle, “Land of the Gods”.  Legend has it that the villagers never used rugs, that their weaving was originally for cloth and clothing and that after a villager visited Texas and saw thick wool weavings on the floors, everything changed. Still other sources say that the change was driven by gringo dealers coming south to find a cheaper source for “Navajo-style” rugs.  What we know for sure is that in the mid-twentieth century the farming village of Teotitlán became a tourist town with generations of self-governing villagers working together, proudly and patiently producing their quality rugs.

Weaving started in Mexico with backstrap looms, but with the Spanish conquest of 1521 came the pedal loom, along with Churro sheep for wool and mineral salts and oxides for toning and fixing dyes.  Men became the primary weavers, often standing for hours at a time.  Nearly everyone in the village became involved in some way.

Raw wool, imported or local, is used for weaving the famous rugs. Women generally clean and card the raw wool, then spin it into yarn.  Years ago synthetic dyes took over the trade, decreasing the price and easing the whole process.  But eventually local weavers realized the synthetic dyes were often toxic and not as desirable for consumers.  Gradually many began switching back to natural dyes as a way to stand out in their trade.  Some do their own dyeing.  Others obtain the dyed yarn from the workshops they weave for.

The Chavez Santiago family of Fe y Lola Rugs, one of the most famous weaving families in Teotitlán, shares their land with my friend Norma Schafer.  While visiting her last July I was lucky to see their clothesline covered with miles of strands of gorgeous freshly dyed yarn hanging in the sun to dry.  We also visited the workshop of Francisco Martínez Ruiz and his wife Maria Del Lourdes (above) where they gave us a beautiful demonstration of their entire process, a process that takes many hours to complete.  I learned quickly that carding and spinning are not as easy as they look.

The rug dyes of Mexico are famous, with many stories to tell.  Probably most famous are the reds of the cochineal insect and the blues of the indigo plant from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.  There is a wonderful book called A PERFECT RED by Amy Butler Greenfield that tracks the history of red dyes, concentrating on the use of the cochineal insect that feeds on the liquid of the nopal, or paddle, cactus.  Dried and crushed they produce an amazing deep red color.  The indigo plant produces a deep denim blue.  Other dyes come from tree bark, nuts, mosses, leaves, and flowers (such as marigolds), and a complex system of mixing and/or over-dyeing renders a variety of deep, soft colors.  (I also referenced MEXICAN TEXTILES: Spirit and Style by Mask Takahashi and TEXTILE FIESTAS OF MEXICO by Sheri Brautigam, which includes a chapter on Teotitlán Del Valle by my friend Norma.)

 

The patterns of Oaxacan rugs cover a wide variety of symbols, some ancient, some modern.  Rug patterns are taken from paintings, Navajo symbols, geometric shapes, and ancient symbols of Mexico.  The Greek key, mountains, snails, feathers, and candles appear, as well as symbols of the ancient Aztecs.  As younger weavers who chose to stay involved in the family business step in, more modern symbols and custom designs appear as well.  Learn more about the history, patterns, and process of rug weaving in Oaxaca from Norma Schafer’s blog Oaxaca Cultural Navigator.

I had heard about Oaxacan rugs for years so when we visited San Miguel De Allende in 2016 I knew I had to go shopping.  Our trip to the weekly organic market, geared toward the local gringo population, turned up an authentic Oaxacan rug weaver and his teenage daughter.  So many gorgeous rugs to choose from!  I picked a runner for our hallway back home and asked them to ship it.  No problema.  I couldn’t imagine how long it would take to get to North Carolina or what shape it would be in.  “Don’t worry,” another gringa told me.  “It’ll arrive packaged like you won’t believe and it won’t take that long.”  Two weeks later a package the size of a small shoebox arrived, surrounded by rows of duct tape.  There was my rug in perfect condition.

Taking my cues from Norma, I was struck by a beautiful 8′ x 10′ rug on the floor of the rental house we looked at before moving down.  Not for sale, sorry.  A month later I received a message from the previous renter: Our hearts are broken but we cannot use the rug in our small house.  Would you like to buy it?  The answer is below.  My treasure.  All natural dyes.  From the famous Porfirio Gutierrez workshop in Teotitlán.

So it is these people that I worry about.  Tourist trade has decreased dramatically with the pandemic.  I have no idea how online or gallery sales might be going.  The rug trade sustains the village of Teotitlán Del Valle.  My experience with the people there is that they know how to take care of each other, how to survive.  They are resourceful and dedicated so I hope they will figure it out.  Many are resistant to the mandates of masks and social distancing.  It is not their way.  Whatever will be, will be.  Blessings to all the hardworking people of Teotitlán.  Here’s to better times ahead.