Posted in Creativity, Culture, People, Textiles, Travel & Tourism, tagged blouses, blusa, clothing, huipil, indigenous textiles, Mexico, Moisés Martínez Velasco, Natalia Toledo, Oaxaca, photos, San Pablo Tijaltepec, San Pedro Cajonos on September 25, 2018|
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I have returned to my hometown for my 50th high school reunion. (How could I possibly be that old?!) Whenever I come up to the USA, I make a point of bringing a little Oaxaca love with me. So, this trip I brought my three newest textile treasures to wear.
First, a modern asymmetric take on a traditional huipil — designed, dyed, and woven on a backstrap loom by Moisés Martínez Velasco from San Pedro Cajonos in the Villa Alta region of the Sierra Norte. Villagers cultivate and harvest the silk worms and spin the silk used in making this beautiful piece.
I also packed a recently purchased traditional blusa from the Mixtec village of San Pablo Tijaltepec. The blouses from this village are made from cotton manta and hand-embroidered with images of birds, animals, plants, and elements of nature in geometric patterns. The blouses take up to one and a half months to make. I wore it to the reunion picnic on Sunday and it received several compliments.
And, last but not least, I brought this elegant silk huipil with cotton chain-stitch hand embroidery designed by celebrated poet, Natalia Toledo. Honoring the traditional huipiles of her birthplace in Juchitán de Zaragoza in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region of Oaxaca, yet bringing her own design esthetic to her label Teka, this woman of many talents works with seamstresses and embroiderers from the Isthmus and Central Valleys of Oaxaca to create one-of-a-kind pieces. I wore this to Saturday night’s reunion at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge beside the San Francisco Bay — and it was perfect!
Besides the designs, colors (lately, I seem to be binging on burgundy), and handmade aspect of the work, I especially appreciate that I was able to meet and purchase each piece directly from its creator.
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