El Tono de la Cochinilla About Us

Rosarios Grandmother *

Four Generations

In the early 1500s, weaving processes in Teotitlan changed radically with the introduction of the upright pedal loom by Dominican friars who accompanied the Spanish conquistadors in their colonization of Mexico.

Rosarios Mother Spinning

With the Mexican Revolution in 1910 and its rejection of foreign economic control and cultural influence, there came a surge of ethnic pride including a glorification of Mexico's pre-Colombian traditions. Traditional foods, clothing, music, and crafts took on the status of national treasures. The Zapotecs of Teotitlan capitalized on their new found acclaim by resurrecting and incorporating into their weavings ancestral designs like the caracol geometric found carved in the walls of local ancient ruins.

Rosario with her Mother

Weaving in Teotitlan de Valle is intimately tied to the family unit, where everyone participates in the production process. Women card and spin the wool by hand into the fine diameter yarn, while traditionally, men do the weaving. Children learn the intricate processes under their tutelage of their parents and grandparents, who create the designs and dyes for the unique look that distinguishes a particular family’s work.

Rosarios Father, Antonio Martinez while in Colorado

My father, Antonio Martinez, is another master weaver in Teotitlan. With his wife Estela (daughter of Isaac Vasquez), Antonio revived the antique designs of México, rendering them in a range of brilliant colors that he and Estela created.

Rosario Martinez Vasquez Age 16

The Martinez Vasquez family, including Antonio and Estela, their two sons Antonio and Juan, two daughters-in-law, and me, Rosario, with my husband Ernesto, is one of a handful of families weaving in the tradition of our ancestors.

Ernesto, Rosario, Kim and Carol

All of our wool is hand spun and colored with dyes produced from fruits, nuts, plants, and insects that have been gathered in the surrounding countryside. Many of these materials are seasonal and are stockpiled to be used throughout the year. The weaving process in itself will take anywhere between 3-5 weeks on the loom depending on the size and complexity of the design.

Ernesto and Rosario

Today, our weavings receive international recognition for their quality, beauty, and the use of natural materials. We have preserved our ancient traditions, and our work is truly a representation of who we are.

Designed by William Frederick

Rosarios Grandmother *	Teotitlan del Valle is a village in the valley of Oaxaca that dates back to a time when the Zapotecs first settled in Oaxaca, around 1000 B.C. The Zapotecs developed a highly diversified culture, with complicated systems of writing and counting, elaborate architecture and a dynamic theory of astronomy. As a mainly agrarian society, citizens wove fabric for their own use, and for the Mixtec and Aztec groups who came to the valley later. Archeological evidence suggests the use of cotton and maguey cactus fibers, as well as a primitive weaving device, the backstrap tension loom.
Four Generations	In the early 1500s, weaving processes in Teotitlan changed radically with the introduction of the upright pedal loom by Dominican friars who accompanied the Spanish conquistadors in their colonization of Mexico. Using wool from churra sheep that were also introduced by the conquerors, weavers created blankets with simple designs that by the early 1900s had become exquisitely detailed patterns. These stellar pieces along with less complicated versions, were traded at markets for staples such as maize, beans, weaving materials, and dyes.
Rosarios Mother Spinning	With the Mexican Revolution in 1910 and its rejection of foreign economic control and cultural influence, there came a surge of ethnic pride including a glorification of Mexico's pre-Colombian traditions. Traditional foods, clothing, music, and crafts took on the status of national treasures. The Zapotecs of Teotitlan capitalized on their new found acclaim by resurrecting and incorporating into their weavings ancestral designs like the caracol geometric found carved in the walls of local ancient ruins. By the 1970s, the village weavers expanded their production from blankets to tapestries and ultimately to rugs.
Rosario with her Mother	Weaving in Teotitlan de Valle is intimately tied to the family unit, where everyone participates in the production process. Women card and spin the wool by hand into the fine diameter yarn, while traditionally, men do the weaving. Children learn the intricate processes under their tutelage of their parents and grandparents, who create the designs and dyes for the unique look that distinguishes a particular family’s work. Among the premier weavers of Teotitlan you will find my grandfather, Isaac Vasquez who, in collaboration with the famous Oaxacan painters Francisco Toledo and Rufino Tamayo, brought back the old techniques of extracting dyes from natural materials. The intense reds, subtle pinks and purples obtained from cochineal and the range of blues from the indigo plant contributed to Isaac Vasquez’ artistic legacy in Teotitlan, and transformed his weavings into works of art.
Rosarios Father, Antonio Martinez while in Colorado	My father, Antonio Martinez, is another master weaver in Teotitlan. With his wife Estela (daughter of Isaac Vasquez), Antonio revived the antique designs of México, rendering them in a range of brilliant colors that he and Estela created.
Rosario Martinez Vasquez Age 16	The Martinez Vasquez family, including Antonio and Estela, their two sons Antonio and Juan, two daughters-in-law, and me, Rosario, with my husband Ernesto, is one of a handful of families weaving in the tradition of our ancestors.
Ernesto, Rosario, Kim and Carol	All of our wool is hand spun and colored with dyes produced from fruits, nuts, plants, and insects that have been gathered in the surrounding countryside. Many of these materials are seasonal and are stockpiled to be used throughout the year. The weaving process in itself will take anywhere between 3-5 weeks on the loom depending on the size and complexity of the design.
Ernesto and Rosario	Today, our weavings receive international recognition for their quality, beauty, and the use of natural materials. We have preserved our ancient traditions, and our work is truly a representation of who we are.