The Zapotec Indian Weavers: a Success Story

Alta Gracia dying wool
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The Zapotec Indian Weavers: a Success Story

WARNING: Staying too long and too much mescal--might hinder departure.

by John Lamkin (AKA Juan Galan)

Flower arrangement for Day of the Dead
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Nearly forty years ago I took the pot-holed highway south out of Oaxaca City and a long, dusty road passing through another Indian village to get to the small Zapotec Indian weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle. It was small with dirt streets, meager houses--mostly with dirt floors, outdoor kitchens and outhouses. The only school was a grammar school (three grades) and there was very little electricity.

Now, what I see is a modern, successful village, yet still exciting with its ancient traditions and celebrations.

Learning to weave
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Driving directly into town from the Oaxaca highway there are many shops with colorful weaving displays in front. I pass stores, large houses, an Internet cafe, a hotel, and a world-class restaurant. Many streets are paved. Most of the houses are bigger and better, with electricity, indoor plumbing and many with telephones. There are more schools, a health clinic, sports fields, streetlights and other signs of progress.

During that first visit, years ago, the weaving designs were much more basic and there were no women weavers. Now you see much more interesting and complex designs and many women weaving, running businesses and driving cars (of which there were very few in those days). New cars and pickups abound, although oxen and burros still roam the streets. The latest phenomenon is the mototaxi, somewhat like a rickshaw with a motor. Many local entrepreneurs are driving these—some quite festively decorated.

Sugar skulls- Day of the Dead
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All this prosperity is due to the industriousness of the Zapotec people and the help of a few rug buyers from the U.S.

I was traveling with a film crew, filming the traditional weaving processes handed down from generation to generation. The filming of the weavers was interspersed with attending celebrations and many invitations to join local families for hot chocolate, mescal, tamales and countless other traditional Zapotec fare. It was the beginning of the Day of the Dead fiestas.

Women shopping for Day of the Dead
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We accompanied Alta Gracia, a dye-maker, to a small village in the mountains where yarn for the weaving is purchased. A loudspeaker system boomed, “people are here to buy wool.” Elderly women started showing up at our car, each with a few balls of yarn to sell.

The wool comes from Churro sheep, which were introduced by the Spanish around 500 years ago. Women card the wool then spin it using the centuries-old drop spindle method. This and mescal (an alcoholic beverage made from the maguey plant) are the only industries of this village.

Tres Cruces - Teotitlan sacred mountain
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We went with one of the elderly women to her house to watch her spin wool. Her granddaughters--dressed in t-shirts, jeans and running shoes--came with us. When asked if they intended to follow their grandmother's footsteps, they replied, "we respect her and what she does, but we will be doing something else." Which is what the younger, better-educated generation does--leaves to find work elsewhere.

Returning to the weaving village, wool in hand, we watched it spun into skeins on a traditional spinning wheel.

Now comes the dyeing process.

Alta Gracia lights wood fires under large metal cauldrons of water in an outdoor shed. When the water comes to a boil, she adds just the right amount of dye to get the color she wants--an artist in action. She then adds mordant to set the color. After the wool cooks just long enough, it is cooled and taken to the river to wash and rinse several times. The colorful skeins of yarn are hung on a special pole to dry in the sun resulting in a rainbow of drying wool.

After drying it is ready for the loom. Rugs, wall hangings and pillows in an array of colors and designs will emerge from this once simple wool.

Alta Gracia's husband is a master weaver and her three sons, in their twenties and thirties, are also skilled weavers. This is a very enterprising family. Her daughter has a small flower nursery on their property and they raise much of their own food, as do many families in the village.

At fiesta time, Alta also fires up several barbecue pits and sells barbecued meat to the neighbors. We were invited to attend one of these fiesta meals at Alta’s house. The barbecued meat was served with several of Alta’s homemade sauces, ranging from mild, but tasty to raging hot. Several typical Zapotec dishes were served on the side. If not for anything else, this meal made the trip worthwhile.

This family, as most in this town, still speaks the Zapotec language. Spanish is used mostly for dealing with the outside world and many are now learning English to better work with tourists and rug dealers.

Arriving a little before the Day of the Dead, we witnessed the preparations for this important feast day. The market bustled with activity. Everywhere were flowers, sugar cane, special breads, sugar skulls--everything needed to prepare the alter to entice the "difuntos" or deceased to return.

Next to the market is a church that the Spanish built atop a Zapotec temple. Part of the temple is visible and many stones in the church have Zapotec symbols carved in them.

For Day of the Dead, each family decorates their alter with candles, flowers, food and photographs of departed relatives in anticipation of their return. They also set up a small children's alter nearby for those who have died in childhood.

The first day is when the children return--church bells ring in the afternoon announcing their arrival. The next day the children depart and the adults come to visit the living.

In the evening they leave the houses of their loved ones and go to the cemetery where, before leaving, they are joined by the living for a lively fiesta with bands playing and mescal, beer and soda to drink.

The festivities last well into the night when the "difuntos" finally depart for another year. (WARNING: Staying too long and too much mescal--might hinder your departure.)

As I leave these warm, caring people, it is rewarding to see that they have had a modern day success and yet been able to maintain their 5000-year-old customs and values.