Chiapas' crafts are the results of sensitivity, dedication and men and women's talent, within a plural culture, show their emotions toward life and a searching for beauty. There are emblematic craftsmanship, as lacquer, which for Chiapas' people means a lot more than just the place from which the products come or the fabrics used only for clothing need. Almost every State's region has craft production but some places are specially known by its popular art. This is a fact in Los Altos (highlands) around San Cristobal de Las Casas, famous because of its textiles, pottery, popular toys and, of course, amber jewelry.
Each pot is a prime experience, as these objects were used as recollected seed containers and food made from precious corn containers. The pottery developed side by side with the culture. But pottery enabled the man to play and recreate with intriguing shapes, either symbolically or aesthetically, this way from clay appeared also sacred pieces. You can find different kinds of rustic pottery burned without an oven. Some places where this is done are for instance: Chamula, where a little drums used in rituals and the two headed toritos (small bulls) stand out, at Zinacatan cooking objects are done like frying pans, pots and kettles for cooking beans. The most emblematic one is Amatenango del Valle, where the potters create jugs, small animal figures, and flowerpots among others. Ocuilapa's big pots and kettles stand out among Zoques in Ocozocoautla municipality, while Cintalapa has a modern approach to ancient craftsmanship.
Textiles represent practical, aesthetic and ritual satisfactors. The beauty delicacy and exclusivity from this
manufacture are on account to many etnas women, who faithfully following their traditions, are trained in
this lovely task since they are little girls, which in Mayan tradition had always been linked to the moon
goddess cult. Full of symbols founder couples, saints, interceding animals or square universes, textiles
woven in waist looms fill with beauty specially the Los Altos (highlands) regions,
Tzotziles, Tzeltales and Tojolabales lands. Cotton and wool textiles
are found in daily use, wearing sacred images or at sale on city shops and markets as web as on the
roadways. Designs and symbolisms vary from one community to the other. Each detail stands for a
conceptual universe piece with a prehispanic root. Flower motifs, animals and men figures bond together
give a special significance to the owner of this unique fabrics. Each cloth from Tenejapa,
Chenalho or Larrainzar has its own embroidered story.
Red, yellow, blue, green or white colors mainly, are nearly related with a ruling cosmos, universe and
oneself formation vision. Notice Amatenango del Valle, San Bartolome de los Llanos (Venustiano
Carranza), Aguacatenango, Zinacatan textiles, but there are also at Bochil,
Ocosingo, Chamula, Las Margaritas and the north mountain villages. A special
mention should be done about Chiapa de Corzo embroiders, sign not only of city's cultural
richness, but also identified with Chiapas people's essence.
Characteristically from San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas metalwork most important products are the processional crosses, full with symbols. But also door knocks and household implements show an important face of Los Altos (highlands) city tradition.
Characteristically from San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas metalwork most important products are the
processional crosses, full with symbols. But also door knocks and household implements show an important
face of Los Altos (highlands) city tradition.
Any boy, no matter where he comes from, can stop falling in love with the colorfulness and dances of a
spinning top, a little bus, a miniature zoo, a small box, a rag doll, or scale furniture for a doll house.
In carving issue out stand the masks, usually for dances, made by fulltime craftsmen. Most wanted piece is the Parachico from Chiapa de Corzo, by its singular perfection and beauty. Constantly made due to the high demand from international markets. The Suchiapa bull mask, made from wood, painted in dark shades, of brown or black. Represents a gentle bull, with a friendly attitude. For the carnival in Ocozocoautla, in which the whole participles, delicate masks are used. Other example of wood carve are figures representing different etnas characters. Chiapa de Corzo outstands in this issue.
Lacquer is Chiapa de Corzo's main product. Chiapas, Guerrero and Michoacan are
the only lacquer producer states in Mexico, a prehispanical technique. In ancient Chiapas cultures certain
fruit cortex were used as recipients. Some of this are the tecomate, gourd, huacal and the pumpos. There
were smooth surfaced containers painted with a technique called lacquer. With Spaniards arrival some
changes were applied to the lacquer technique these could be seen at Michoacan and Guerrero's lacquers,
states with a mayor Spanish and oriental influence, this last one by the Chinese
Nao.
During XIX century, the transformation lacquer process continued becoming a hybrid technique, such main
traces are which nowadays still identify the Chiapa de Corzo's lacquer. For lacquer elaboration different
materials from mineral, vegetal and animal origin are used. The axe grease is prepared from the coccus
axin female. Chia or chicalote oil is added to this grease and a mineral
called dolomita known in Chiapa de Corzo as tizate. These products are used for lacquer base,
over which decoration is done with cat hair paintbrushes, with typical flower motifs in Chiapa de Corzo's
artistic feelings.
Hispanic branch of craftsmanship, still done in Los Altos (highland) region, mainly at San Cristobal de Las
Casas and Teopisca. Lying in the elaboration of various articles in which the prime matter is
animal skin or leather, some times engraved or chiseled. First the skins are treated to avoid putrefaction
and also give them flexibility and softness and this way, wallets, belts, purses, portfolios, suitcases, caps,
hats and other items of many shapes and sizes are done by the saddler.
We can't skip mentioning saddles and horsemanship and charreria items, very related to cattle raising
activities one of Chiapas most important activity.
Hispanic branch of craftsmanship, still done in Los Altos (highland) region, mainly at San Cristobal de Las
Casas and Teopisca. Lying in the elaboration of various articles in which the prime matter is
animal skin or leather, some times engraved or chiseled. First the skins are treated to avoid putrefaction
and also give them flexibility and softness and this way, wallets, belts, purses, portfolios, suitcases, caps,
hats and other items of many shapes and sizes are done by the saddler.
Craftsmen generally use their hands and feet for weaving and, sometimes, even use their teeth to tighten
it better, paying attention to the folding. Two kinds of materials are used in San Juan Chamula for basket
making: reed for the weave and stingy branches from a plant called mercate which are used for the frame.
Woven hats made from palm and ribbons are made at Zinacantan and Tenejapa.
Tzeltales from Ocosingo region offer also basket products. Take almost seven weeks for the elaboration and
are sewn together by hand. Utilitarian products baskets, tapestry, sleeping mats and some others used for
food transportation. Also cleaning products related to basket making use the ixtle fiber.
Either wax or paraffin candles have become essential for religious ceremonies. Also used in decoration as table centers or in beautiful chandeliers. It is a Barrio de la Merced from San Cristobal de Las Casas tradition, the beautiful artistic wax worksin which the craftsman hands transform paraffin in wax flowers with delicate leaves with gold sparkles, used at temples and altars, adorning saints and virgins all along the cities' plazas and alleys.
Just as lacquer, amber is also admired beyond Chiapas' frontiers. Chiapas is Mexico's unique amber
producer and its people offered it as a tribute in the prehispanic stage. Craftsman's hands dig the ground
around Simojovel looking for amber an over 40 million years resin solidified through
time.
Later they work on it and the y deliver it in different shapes as heart, drop, bird or tree shapes or
whatever they imagine. Chiapas' people wear amber and with it they also wear a geologic history piece
of their land. Their ancestors breath, plant used by their great grand parents, prints from their origins.
This resin, after been polished will become in a beautiful jewel, unique in shape, color, and
content.
Its price comes depending on its size, color or the number of insects and plants pieces in its interior.
Through the right polish beads are made for earrings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets. Some jewelry
pieces have the classic amber color, yellow, but other have red, green, or blue shades, which combined
with gold or silver, become exquisite pieces of San Cristobal's precious metal work. Amber is an ideal
material for sculpture, and we found extraordinary sculptors in San Cristobal.
The marimba is an integral instrument because its construction groups the three sources of Chiapas: original cultures plus Castilian and African cultures, former place from the marimba (sort of xylophone). Actually it is done in Chiapa de Corzo, the same as in other cities like San Bartolome de los Llanos, Venustiano Carranza or Tuxtla Gutierrez. For its construction it is required wood from a tree known as hormiguillo; pumpos are the resonance boxeswhich have a hole in the bottom covered with a fabric or vibrating membrane. At the Marimba Museum, located at Chiapa de Corzo there are conferences about marimba's history and evolution. Daily concerts are given at the Marimba Park at Tuxtla Gutierrez. Capital city is the scenery for the International Marimba Player Festival in the month of June.
