Natural Tapestries
With respect and admiration for Viridiana Chávez Bautista Un Regalo/A Gift Inspiration arrives when we least expect it. This month I was privileged to share a wonderful adventure in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca in Southern Mexico with a small group of photographers who, like me, will be forever changed by this area’s incredible beauty and spirit. While photographing in one of the indigenous colorful and exciting markets, a young Zapotec woman of beautiful Indian ancestry approached me. Her English was good and she introduced herself as “Viridiana” and asked if we were interested in the traditional weavings of the area. Open to the experience, I asked our guide to take our group to Viridiana’s studio. Through bumpy dirt roads, we arrived at a modest studio, treated to local mescal, and received with warm Mexican welcomes. |
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Viridiana is part of a young weavers’ cooperative in a small Zapotec village, 15 miles south of Oaxaca. The co-op maintains the custom and values that began in the valley of Oaxaca as long ago as 500 BC. Foot-pedaled looms, dedication to natural dyes, traditional spinning wheels and yarn drying naturally in the sun all symbolize a weaving process that is both time-consuming and very laborious. Viridiana is committed to protecting the environment while preserving ancient and traditional methods. She transforms raw wool into works of art using natural materials including madder root, cochineal (an insect that lives on the red juice of the prickly pear cactus),indigo plants, tree bark, nutshells, pomegranates and flower petals. The rugs are Teotitlán’s heart and soul - its “alma y corazón”. Viridiana’s work is her heart and soul and a creation of communal happiness for those around her. She is not looking for riches or fame. Rather, her goal is to share the artistic talents of her community and family with the whole of Mexico and the rest of the world. 10% of profits of all rug sales are donated to Pro Mujer, ProMujer.org, a non-profit lending organization providing livelihood, credit and business training to women throughout Latin America. |
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Living in a culture that has been so oppressed and forced to live in poverty, Viridiana is an example of turning your face to the sun and not concentrating on bad or wrong or inadequate. She is not absent of fear, but is on her path – overcoming fear. She is singing the song that she was born to sing. With Viridiana’s industriousness and courage, she will be the hero of future generations in her valley. I know she will be my teacher whenever I feel trapped and her inspiration will offer music and song to my own creative dance. That is her gift, her “regalo”, to me. Viridiana can be reached at viridiana_loom56@hotmail.com, and she is working on a web site. |
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On courage and inspiration from others… Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. William Shedd Courage is resilience to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. Mark Twain In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. Mother Theresa Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible it is yours. Ayn Rand Courage is grace under pressure. Ernest Hemingway One can never consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar. Helen Keller |
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