Vive Oaxaca

Posted by tara kirkland on September 25, 2023

About our beautiful Oaxacan goods:

All the pieces are one of a kind, limited edition, and once they are sold, they are gone forever.

There is a mix of handmade/hand dyed/hand loomed/hand beaded pieces of wearable art. All of the pieces are hand crafted by Indigenous peoples surrounding Oaxaca City, Mexico. The craftsmanship and preservation of these techniques is part of what makes the entire city of Oaxaca a world UNESCO heritage site.

Handmade piñatas at the entry of an all Indigenous Craft Fair in Oaxaca City. Crafters come from villages 1-2 hours away every day to set up and sell their pieces during certain times of the year.

Entry point to one of the events

Vendors booth set up

Oaxaca is known for textiles

There are many villages surrounding the city center- each one specializes in a unique craft- everything from black/red/green pottery, wood carvings, leathers, textiles and more.

Bo is seen here learning about the natural dye and spinning process used to create some of the items in the store now.

The natural dye process is a labor of love, and techniques are passed down for generations- seen here is just some of the colors made with all natural products like lime, turmeric, plants, flowers, seeds, and more. The item I was most fascinated with was the cochineal insect. The cochineal is a parasite that attacks the paddles of the prickly pear cactus and when it's harvested it can be used to make some amazing dye. This process dates back to the Mayans and Aztecs and still is in use today.

For our video on the amazing Cochineal parasite that lives on prickly pear cactus and is harvested to make dye for many things- go HERE

(Closer up)

Some of these pieces are years to complete start to finish.

Looms can be found all over the city. (Still in use)

To see it in person is like witnessing music. The rhythms of the loom are easy to get swept up in.

For our video of the loom in motion go HERE

Start to finish the entire process has been followed by many generations, passed down from family member to family member. Our friend told us a story about his father visiting the city in the 70's and hearing the sounds of the looms at night all around the city. I find that thought romantic. I love the idea that the same looms are still producing beautiful crafts now.

(Handmade handbag) (Update: SOLD OUT)

(Varies styles available)

Dye process for paints as well as fibers are very similar. Seen above are natural products used to create paints. Second photo is an instructor giving us a demo on the incense that is created from a sap of a very specific tree that is used in many products. This specific location has a school where artists can live and work, with room and board, and learn the creation process as well as preservation and conservation for the copal tree.

Street art

Another village outside of Oaxaca City focusing on wood carvings, using the copal tree.

Another village - this one focusing on black pottery. This potter makes these pieces the same as his father and grandfather- spinning on two plates- his wife, the daughter of a black pottery potter, carves and shapes the pieces, and their grandchildren are in the process of learning how to make the pottery as well.