page_title: Handcrafts and folk art in Oaxaca
section_title: Development
hierarchical_section_title: Handcrafts and folk art in Oaxaca / Development
caption_attribution_description: English: Partially cleaned blade in progress at the Angel Aguilar workshop in Ocotlan de Morelos, Oaxaca, Mexico
context_page_description: Oaxaca handcrafts and folk art is one of Mexico's important regional traditions of its kind, distinguished by both its overall quality and variety. Producing goods for trade has been an important economic activity in the state, especially in the Central Valleys region since the pre-Hispanic era which the area laid on the trade route between central Mexico and Central America. In the colonial period, the Spanish introduced new raw materials, new techniques and products but the rise of industrially produced products lowered the demand for most handcrafts by the early 20th century. The introduction of highways in the middle part of the century brought tourism to the region and with it a new market for traditional handcrafts. Today, the state boasts the largest number of working artisans in Mexico, producing a wide range of products that continue to grow and evolve to meet changing tastes in the market.
  Oaxacan handcrafts are also highly specialized by community.
context_section_description: The making of good for trade as well as local use was established in the region relatively early in the pre-Hispanic period because the state, especially the Central Valley, was on the trade route that connected central Mexico with Central America. One example of this is the archeological site of El Palmillo, which was a major weaving center, with the weaving of various fibers established by the Classic Period. Then as now, production was centered in households with the households varying in the intensity and type of production. One other common trade good was worked seashells, which the raw material coming from the Oaxacan coast despite the rough terrain, to be worked and then traded here.
  This tradition of supplementing family income has remained to the present day. The main products have been textiles, ceramics, stone products, baskets and wood products although these have evolved and new products have been introduced.
  The Spanish, at the beginning of the colonial period, introduced new raw materials, new products and new techniques to diversify the products the region's artisans produced. In the pre-Hispanic period, the main fibers were cotton and ixtle (made from maguey leaves), and the main weaving mechanism was the backstrap loom. The Spanish introduced wool and silk, along with new dyes/colors as well as the pedal loom, which allows faster weaving and the creation of larger pieces. Today Oaxacan weavers produce rugs, handkerchiefs, carrying bags, ponchos, various articles of clothing and more.  These changes did not eliminate the older methods. The backstrap loom in still in use, as are dyes made from local plants, animals and minerals such as cochineal, an insect which is used to create red and tishinda, a marine snail used to create purple. The Spanish also introduced glazed ceramics, the filigree method of making gold and silver jewelry and the working of new metals, especially tin and iron.
  By the 20th century, industrialization had chipped away at the production of handcrafts, especially for local use.  For example, by 1965 in San Miguel del Valle, only a few old men still weaved the local wood, using natural dyes because the demand was so low. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, the construction of modern roadways, especially the Pan American Highway, allowed the development of a tourist industry, catering to those looking to explore traditional Mexico as well as the coastline. The modern Oaxacan handcraft industry took off, with its initial market being tourists. This led to an interest in traditional methods with the numbers of artisans multiplying, especially in textiles and ceramics from the 1960s to the late 1980s. By the end of this period, a number of communities’ economies had changed from agricultural to those based on one particular handcraft. The 20th century also saw some changes in technique, especially the use of synthetic dyes and paints and commercial thread, as well as lead-free glazes, but these have not completely replaced more traditional production.
  Today, Oaxacan handcrafts are heavily dependent on the tourist trade, including collectors who come to the area especially for handcrafts. This success has also translated into an increase in exports of products to various parts of the world, especially to the United States.  The continued development of Oaxacan crafts is supported by both government and private entities. One method of doing this is to encourage younger generations to become craftsmen, with money for equipment and avenues to promote their merchandise such as contests. These efforts also include those outside of Mexico, such as a government-run outlet in Pasadena, California, financing for export by Bancomext and sales by groups such as the Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art . Handcraft traditions continue to evolve in the state, generally to cater to tourist and foreign tastes and include the creation of new products such as alebrijes. The Centro de Diseño Oaxaca has worked to join artisans and contemporary designers to create new products based on traditional techniques and to docume
caption: Blade in development at the Aguilar workshop in Ocotlán de Morelos
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