A topic in words of the artist : Information about Teotitlan and the Rug making process
Teotitlan o Teoc
Teotitlan or Teocaltitlan comes from the Nahuatl word that means Land of the Gods. Teotitlan del Valle is a region that belongs to the Central Valleys of Oaxaca and is located 31km (30 minutes) from the state capital.
The rug making and woolen yarns is one of the most popular crafts in the state; In addition to being an ancestral technique, its production is a process that is passed down from generation to generation and is made on pedal looms.
It is worth mentioning that this craft is the main source of income for the community of Teotitlan del Valle, where children, young people, women and men of different ages work together.
Something that stands out in these pieces are the designs, sizes and diversity of colors; the same factors that determine the time it takes to make a rug, which can be from 20 to 25 days in looms with a measure of 1.3 meters and less complex designs. On the other hand, there are also looms for rugs 80cm wide by 1.50 meters long, which go from 15 to 30 days of elaboration.
Rugs with smaller sizes of 60 cm wide by 100 cm long, are carried out between 10 and 15 days.
Also, these works of art come from natural dyes that are extracted from plants such as the shell of pomegranate and walnut, the flower of cempaxuchitl and hibiscus flower cactus, zapote, red copal tree bark, the cochineal insect and more natural elements that when combined, a diverse range of colors is obtained.
Once the necessary wool is available, which comes from sheeps, the artisan begins brushing it, then it must be spun with the help of a spinning wheel and arranged in large bundles that are easier to handle.
For the dyeing of these wool handles, first the raw wool is washed and then it goes through the color dyeing, where depending on the amount of dye and the time it is left resting, it will acquire the necessary appearance to obtain the desired color.
Finally, it is washed again and left to dry in the sun. This entire procedure is carried out from 12 to 15 days.