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"La Vida Nueva"
is a women's weaving cooperative from the Zapotec community of
Teotitlan del Valle, in Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca. This
traditional indigenous community is known world wide for its
long line of weavers. Patterns, techniques, tools and the "habit"
of weaving have been passed down through the generations.
Pastora Gutierrez, the
young director of this collective, has represented the other
women at our Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Oregon. She comes
from her dirt floored, thin bamboo walled home, where she lives
with her Grandmother, Mother and 4 younger sisters (not to mention
the chickens and a pig), to exhibit and sell her fine quality,
handcrafted rugs or "tapetes". They are all 100% wool,
and these women use only natural dyes made from herbs, barks,
seeds and insects they harvest themselves. Some of these concoctions
take up to 3 months to exact the desired hue.
Each rug that they weave
has a story that reflects pride in their personal and collective
strength and power. One traditional design, "Greca Escazonada",
emphasizes the strength that comes from solidarity....the light
and dark colors represent strength and protection; they interlock
to become stronger, just as we are stronger when we join hands
with one another.
"La Greca de la
Fuerza" is another traditional Zapotec design showing the
many layers of protection around the center diamond shapes. These
diamonds represent power in the Zapotec community... the power
of the individual, the family, the community...the outer layers
represent the generations that have come before us that shield
and protect us with their experience and wisdom. Their energy
is directed inward, to nourish and vitalize the center.
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Zapotec
Weaver Podcast!
Listen to Pastora's
recent lecture, interpreted by Juanita:
Zapotec_Weaver_Part1.mp3 | Zapotec_Weaver_Part2.mp3
(To download
the files: "right click", then select "Save
Link as...")
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