HISTORY AND TRADITION
By the time Christopher Columbus reached the New World in 1492, the Zapotec Indians of Teotitlan del Valle, a small village nestled among the foothills of the Sierra Madres in the Oaxaca Valley of Southern Mexico, had a centuries old tradition of weaving textiles from cotton and other plant fibers. In the mid-seventeenth century, Dominican friars introduced the European upright loom and sheep to the New World, and for the next three hundred years the weavers in Teotitlan wove the finest wool serapes in Southern Mexico and Guatemala. In spite of the more recent cultural changes among many of Mexico's native Indian groups, the high level of craftsmanship of the Colonial period serapes is still evident in the distinctive use of color and handspun yarns in the contemporary rugs and tapestries woven by the Zapotec Indians of Teotitlan.
MATERIALS AND DESIGNS
The use of chemical dyes has increased as U.S. and European collectors have expressed interest in the strong colors pleasing to their own tastes which often cannot be achieved through the use of natural dyes. However, the Zapotec Indians' unique sense of color still give these textiles their life and distinctive style. Also, the natural vegetal dyes are still collected from the countryside surrounding the village and cochineal, the world's most colorfast natural red dye has been a product of the Oaxaca Valley since Prehispanic times and is still used by a number of the Zapotec dyemasters. Many of the design elements in these sophisticated weavings have prehispanic antecedents while others take inspiration from other contemporary Native American Indian groups and modern Art.
HAND CRAFTSMANSHIP AND NATIVE AMERICANS
The Zapotec Indians of Teotitlan are Native Americans for whom weaving is not only their livelihood, but also an outlet for artistic expression that provides a sense of individual pride. What's more, in Teotitlan, weaving is intimately tied to the family unit, where everyone participates in the production process. The older women wash, card and spin the wool into the fine diameter yarns used in the best contemporary Zapotec weavings. Sons and daughters begin weaving in their teenage years under the tutelage of their fathers who created the designs and dyes for the unique palette that distinguishes the family's work. Because weaving is so tied to the family unit, the success of their weaving directly contributes to the maintenance of their distinctive traditions and culture. Finally, the quality of these hand-crafted textiles is testimony to the Zapotec Indians' traditional culture and family cohesion and serves as a reminder of the level of skill possessed by master craftsman- a level that has by-and-large been lost to the steady march of "progress" in the United States today.
CUSTOM ORDERS FOR ZAPOTEC RUGS
Custom orders can be made in any size from 5 by 7 feet to 14 by 20 feet. Toklat Gallery represents fifty of the finest weaving families in Teotitlan who use their own color palette and patterns for special orders or can dye a unique palette for your custom design. Orders take four to seven months for completion, depending upon the size and complexity of design. All custom orders can be left with the warp fringe or can be finished with an exclusive integrally woven cord.
SUGGESTIONS ON CARE FOR YOUR ZAPOTEC WEAVING
Zapotec weavings are made from fine wool and meant to last many lifetimes. If you use the weaving as a rug, turn and vacuum it often. You can also shake the rug, holding it on the non-fringe side. Shaking a rug while holding it on the fringe or braided side risks snapping the warp threads. Spills should be blotted immediately. Know the person in your area who professionally cleans heirloom rugs. If the spill cannot be removed by blotting, or the rug is simply showing signs of soil, take it to that person. There are lots and lots of do-it-yourself ideas on cleaning rugs, but we are not recommending any of them. We do recommend that you contact the professional in your area for suggestions on "how to" BEFORE the wine or coffee is spilled.
If the weaving is to be a wall hanging, please remember that it is wool and therefore susceptible to moths. Remove the weaving from the wall every six months and put it in a freezer for several days. If you store your weaving for any length of time, remember that it should be stored just as any fine woolen garment-with complete moth protection.
