I spent the morning with Estela Montaño and Edith Montaño Martínez at their home and workshop in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca. Xi-Guía is the name of the town in Zapteco, the indigenous language here. We were filling out a grant application to WARP (Weave a Real Peace). They needed my help since they are not native Spanish writers, they don’t speak or write English, and their education did not take them beyond elementary and middle school.
Despite limited opportunities, these are very talented weavers and seamstresses, and they established a cooperative of twelve women fifteen years ago. They adapted traditional rug weaving done by men to weave small size tapestries. These are then sewn into beautiful handbags of all sizes, from coin purses to back-packs and overnight bags, using industrial strength sewing machines and old Singer treadles.
When I found them over ten years ago, what I noticed first was the quality of construction: the tightness of weave, the impeccably sewn lining with two pouches, the zippered closure, and the securely fastened fine grain leather straps. The colors they use are derived from natural plants and cochineal. These bags are built to last a lifetime! It’s true.
When I sat with them today, we talked in depth about what it takes to operate their business and what they would accomplish if they were to get funding from WARP. We set about creating a budget for their request, and a justification for support. But, in the process, what I discovered was they are not charging enough per bag to cover their costs–labor and materials.
Each weaver is getting paid about $3 USD per hour — hardly a living wage. Their materials expense includes wool, dye materials (indigo and cochineal costs upwards of $300USD per kilo, a 40% increase in the last two years), fabric for linings, zippers, leather, and metal hooks and grommets. It takes about 20 hours to make one bag, start to finish.
So, I ran through the numbers with them and we determined that their actual costs to make a large bag is 2,198 pesos, not the 1,400 pesos they have been charging, and this does NOT include even a small mark-up. It’s no wonder they have no reserve to reinvest in materials and why they need support. I have counseled them to raise prices to cover costs, plus make a small profit.
I have also asked them to consider how to find more venues where they can sell directly. In addition to selling from their home, where they get occasional visitors, they sell to three galleries in Oaxaca City. However, each one asks them to sell the 1,400 pesos bag at a wholesale price of 920 pesos. If they try to negotiate, the gallery managers will tell them they will invite other artisans who will sell for less. In addition, if they agree for tour operators to bring people to them, the operators charge a 30-50% commission on any sales.
Their workshop is usually on our Tlacolula Valley Folk Art Tour, and because the quality of what they make is extraordinary (and, they are very good people), we try to include them whenever we can.
Many visitors still come to Oaxaca hoping to score a bargain, even when pieces are priced fairly for the amount of work and quality that goes into making them. Today, I was astounded that my friends have been working so long and they are paying to keep their business going out of pocket, never receiving any financial counseling, and caring more about making something beautiful.
We talked about justice and setting a price that is just for them — in other words, we talked about fair trade — what is fair for the maker and what is fair for the customer. Such an important topic now.
I’m doing my best these days from my little apartment in Durham, North Carolina, to help promote Oaxaca artisans, primarily those who work in textiles. Today, I am excited to announce that I am representing the work from the natural dye studio Taller Teñido a Mano located in downtown Oaxaca city.
See below for photos and prices:
3 beautiful designer wool rugs, tapestries for floor or wall (ONE LEFT)
10 indigo-dyed face masks, size medium (SOLD OUT)
3 canvas and leather market bags, sturdy, lined, gorgeous
SOLD. Last One: Buy it NOW for $12 plus $6 mailing. SOLD OUT!SOLD. #1: Indigo, cochineal, wild marigold, natural grey sheep wool, 23″w x 36-1/2″L, $295
To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address and item number. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal link to purchase and add $12 per package for cost of mailing. Please be sure to select Send Money to Family and Friends!
The studio creates textiles using only natural dyes from local sources: indigo, wild marigold, mahogany bark, pomegranate, cochineal, and more. Color variations are also achieved using overdyes. For example, green tones come from dipping in a wild marigold dye bath and then again in an indigo dye bath. Gray tones are achieved when the dyer uses a cast iron pot which creates a ferrous oxide chemical reaction.
To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address and item number. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal link to purchase and add $12 for cost of mailing. Please be sure to select Send Money to Family and Friends!
THREE CANVAS MARKET BAGS WITH LEATHER
3 Sturdy Canvas Market Bags, Lined, Natural Dyes with Leather
There are so many uses for these sturdy, beautiful canvas and leather bags: market, beach, go-anywhere tote. Even use it as an overnight bag. These are beautifully crafted with excellent finish work. The solid leather handles are attached with brass grommets. The lining has two inside pockets, one with a zipper. The outside pouch is leather and is big enough to hold a cell phone. An elegant, practical shopping bag. Double straps are 28″ long — long enough to sling over your shoulder comfortably.
The studio also dyes cotton threads and hand-spun wool yarn that they sell to knitters and weavers. All pieces are unique and one-of-a-kind. Because of their handmade quality, there is variegation in the dyes and some imperfections.
#4: Mahogany-dyed canvas, leather pocket and base. 20″ w x 19″ h. $225#5 (L) 18×20, pomegranate in iron oxide pot, with pomegranate/indigo over-dye base. #6 (R) is also 18×20, pomegranate in iron oxide pot, with wild marigold base. $195 each. Each bag is lined, with two inside pouches, one with zipper
INDIGO-DYED FACE MASKS
Indigo-dyed face masks, $15 each. 2 left. Canvas, indigo dyed, face mask, $15 each
To Buy: Please email me normahawthorne@mac.com with your name, mailing address and item number. I will mark it SOLD, send you a PayPal link to purchase and add $12 for cost of mailing. Please be sure to select Send Money to Family and Friends!
Beautifully sewn face masks with solid blue lining
We have a no returns/no refunds policy. Thank you for understanding. All proceeds are sent immediately and directly to artisans.
We have curated this POP-UP, one-morning-only EXPOventa with the Best of the Best textile artisans we know plus ONE GREAT filigree silversmith who is usually hidden away in his studio in the LaNoria neighborhood of downtown Oaxaca. Please share. Tell your friends. Don’t miss it! Cash sales.
We are winding up our whirlwind Oaxaca City and Villages Folk Art Tour and scheduled this EXPOventa for our travelers. Eric and I want to open it up to the public to give these deserving artisans a chance to show off what they make. Meet the makers. Support the artisans directly. All proceeds go directly to them!
The 18th annual Feria Maestros del Arte happened last weekend at Lake Chapala, Jalisco, about 40-minutes from Guadalajara. I had never been before and I decided it was time! Plus, it gave me a chance to spend some time with friends Chris and Ben, who moved to Ajijic from North Carolina last year.
Estela Montaño with natural dyed wool pillow cover
Maria de Lourdes and son Isaac from Teotitlan del Valle
And, there was another good friend, flying shuttle loom weaver Alfredo Hernandez Orozco with his son Yaolt, who make extraordinary cotton cloth home goods and clothing. Their workshop is in El Tule.
Yaolt and his dad, Alfredo, accomplished fly shuttle loom weavers
There were other Oaxaca artisans whose work I know and respect: alebrijes makers, ceramic artists and sculptors, basket weavers, and some very fine clothing weavers from remote areas of the Oaxaca coast and Mixe regions. Many of these are included on our Oaxaca Discovery Tour coming up at the end of January 2020 (yes, a few spaces are available).
Fine, back-strap loomed cotton blusa, San Juan Cotzocon
Juan Toribio from San Juan Cotzocon, whose work I wear with pleasure
An added bonus of going to the Fair was participating in events hosted by Los Amigos del Arte Popular. This is a non-profit group that supports Mexican folk art. They are appreciators and collectors, and do a lot to underwrite this Feria and provide scholarships for artisans to travel here.
Sally, Chris, Mariann, Norma, Ellen
I also had a chance to connect with friends Mariann who moved to Ajijic from Philadelphia, friend Ellen who comes to Oaxaca every winter, her sister Sally, and locals Elizabeth and Greg who live in Chapala. I also bumped into David and Barbara from San Diego, too.
Meat lovers’ paradise, ribs at Gosha’s, Ajijic, JaliscoLake Chapala from the Fair grounds
Unlike the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe that covers the world, this Fair reunites those of us with Mexico-LOVE. While I’m most happy living in Oaxaca, coming to the shores of Lake Chapala is a refreshing change of pace and a great party all the way around. I had to come home to rest!
A collector’s nicheOtomi embroidered wall hanging adds drama to bedroomPapier-maché Virgin from developmentally challenged Chapala school for women (R) Michoacan potter Guadalupe Garcia Rios in traditional Purepecha dress
Japan Textile Study Tour, November 6 – 19, 2020, 12 nights, 13 days, start in Kyoto and end in Tokyo — SOLD OUT. Get on the waiting list.
We take you on a textile adventure of a lifetime to the land of the Rising Sun. Japanese style elevates textiles to a fine art form. We go deep into the culture of hand-weaving and indigo dyeing, high fashion and simple garment construction, venturing into old mercantile shops, contemporary design studios and temple markets to discover how cloth defines a people. Along the way, we discover historical sites, eat traditional foods that have ceremonial significance, visit museums and immerse ourselves into a modern Japan that is underpinned with ancient tradition.
Geisha life on the streets of Gion, Kyoto
Japan is an amalgam of ancient craft wisdom that is translated into art as a metaphor for life – from pottery to textiles to knife-making to humble and refined cuisine to garden landscape. We visit craftsmen who were provisioners to emperors. Throughout our travels, we touch on the philosophy that girds the culture – aesthetic sensibility, wabi-sabi (perfection in imperfection), and iki (simplicity, originality, sophistication, spontaneity, refinement).
Vintage indigo stamped cloth, Kyoto antique textile shopBolts of beautiful cloth, Nuno Works, Tokyo
You will travel with Norma Schafer, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC director, writer, producer and photographer. Our co-leader is Nathan Somers, textile artist, collector, indigo dyer and historian. You will visit many sites Norma and Nathan know from personal and professional experience.
Vintage indigo textile samples
This is a hands-on, slow-savor, deep cultural immersion travel experience for up to 10 active textile lovers.
Our itinerary concentrates on the textile culture
of Kyoto, Japan’s ancient capital, and Tokyo, once known as Edo, where day-glow
neon and phantasmagorical skyscrapers cast a futuristic glow over the old
Tokugawa Shogunate.
Vintage Boro patchwork textiles using sashiko stitching
In Kyoto and Tokyo, we will navigate the city and reach our local destinations using outstanding public transportation – faster and more reliable than private services. Bus and Metro service is punctual, frequent, safe and reliable. This gives us an opportunity to travel with the locals and familiarize ourselves with neighborhoods and the ease of travel in Japan. We have engaged locals to help us navigate and translate this fascinating culture.
Indigo dye vats where the plant ferments
Who goes on the Textile Study Tour to Japan? Artists, makers, educators, life-long learners, writers, textile
lovers, historians, photographers and those wanting to learn more about Japan, weaving
and natural dyeing there.
Preliminary Itinerary
F-11/6: Depart your home city and travel to Kyoto, Japan
Sa-11/7: Arrive Kyoto in late afternoon. If you are up to it, join us in the hotel lobby to meet up for an optional group dinner (cost is OYO)
Su-11/8: Meet at 1 PM for a Welcome Lunch, stroll the Imperial Palace, visit a traditional miso shop and confectionary maker (B, L)
In Gion, Kyoto, naturally dyed silk, linen and cotton — persimmon and cochinealSatoshi holding court at his Tokyo izakaya
M-11/9: After breakfast, we will set out to explore the Nishiki Market, meandering the famed fish and food stalls, have lunch, then stroll Teramachi Street where we will visit vintage textile galleries, then transition to the Geisha neighborhood of Gion for more! (B, L) Dinner OYO
Street food at a temple market, KyotoTime and space for meditative moments
Tu-11/10: Shibori Workshop and Shibori Museum. Hands-on session to make your own shibori-designed textile with indigo dye. (B, L)
W-11/11: Our focus today is on the old weaving center of Kyoto with a visit to Nishijin Textile Center and several shops that dye and make indigo garments. Afternoon OYO (B, L)
Arashiyama river scene, KyotoIn the Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama, Kyoto
Th-11/12: It’s important to have choices! Take the day to create your own itinerary or come with us to visit Arashiyama where we will stroll the famed Bamboo Forest. You have the option to take a rickshaw ride and meander sacred temples in this more rural Kyoto neighborhood, with optional and traditional keiseki multi-course lunch (B)
Norma’s boro and sashiko project — in progress
F-11/13: Travel to Kawaguchi Lake and stay overnight in guest house/lodge. (B, D)
Geisha in training at the Bamboo Forest
Sa-11/14: Visit the workshop studio of an indigo dyer in a small Japanese mountain village for a demonstration, to see her collection and shop. Take afternoon train to Tokyo. Check into our hotel. (B, L)
Buddhist monk stamps a Goshuin with a calligraphy messageSilk, hemp, linen and cotton shawls with natural dyes
Su-11/15: Attend two major Temple Markets — Takahata Market and Oedo International Forum — where you will find old kimono, pieces of vintage cloth including silks, natural dyes and hand-weaving, vintage collectibles such as ceramics, carved wood, figurines, jewelry, art and much more. (B)
Temple altar with prayers and incense
M-11/16: We set you loose in Ginza — high fashion center of Japan — for Department Store Shopping and to explore the Basement Food Courts. Department stores feature unparalleled designer boutiques and food treasures. If you prefer, you might like to go to Nuno Works in Roppongi and peek into the upmarket world of Akasaka boutiques. (B)
Bolt of vintage indigo-dyed cotton cloth, once intended to become a kimono
Tu-11/17: Tsukiji Market Meander. We love markets and the most famed in Japan is Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market where we will get to early in the morning to take in splendid company of super-fresh oysters the size of fists, sushi and sashimi bites, sake sips, and crispy tempura rolls. Then we are off to Nippori Fabric Town to shop for yardage, with a stop at Kata-Kata or Gallery Kawano (B, L)
W-11/18: After breakfast, Yu Design Studio show and sale. They are a new, innovative design studio working in hand-woven cotton, silk and hemp with indigo dyes. Then, set out on your own to chart your own course. You might like to visit the Imperial Palace, the National Museum or retrace steps to go back for a treasure that passed you by. We will meet again for our grand finale dinner to say our goodbyes. Dinner (B, D)
Th-11/19 Tour ends and participants depart (B)
*Travel Note: You can arrive to Osaka Kansai International Airport which is 40 minutes from Kyoto and depart from Tokyo Narita Airport. You might also find more favorable airfares flying to/from Tokyo. Check www.skyscanner.com for schedules and airfares. If you fly to Tokyo, you will take the Shinkansen bullet train (2 hours, 15 minutes) to Kyoto to meet up with the group on November 6. Rail tickets can be purchased in advance online. We will send more detailed information to the group after our travel cohort is formed. You can choose to arrive earlier or stay later at your own expense.
Norma Schafer is director of Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, writer, blogger, photographer and food aficionado. Her love of indigo has taken her to Mexico, India and Japan to explore the culture of weaving and natural dyes. On this return visit to Japan, she takes you to her favorite textile haunts to meet makers and collectors.
Vintage peasant coat, indigo with sashiko stitching, sourced in Kyoto
Nathan Somers is an educator, textile artist and vintage Japanese fabric collector who lives in Durham, NC. Nathan teaches indigo resist throughout the southeast United States, and making guest presentations at spinning an weavers’ guilds. His primary area of study is Japanese textile traditions.
Nathan Somers with a textile from his collection, found at a temple market
In 2016, Nathan was the subject of a Japanese
television show that came to Durham to film his collection. The producers then tansported
him to the Island of Amami Oshima, Japan, to study with an indigo dyer.
How did it all begin for Nathan?
In 2007, Nathan found himself rummaging through a
box of Japanese textile scraps at a Portland, Oregon, antique sale. The fabric,
with its hand spun threads, uneven selvedges, complex patterns, and deep indigo
inspired him, but at the time he didn’t understand the techniques that had been
used to make the textiles.
Hand-spun, hand-woven Japanese cloth, textural beauty
Nathan began to study all he could about how these
fabrics were produced and what their designs were meant to convey. Nathan’s
textile collection comes from Japan’s temple and shrine markets and through
contacts with dealers. The collection spans the late Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912)
periods. He focuses on Tsutsugami (freehand paste resist), Katazome (stencil
paste resist), Sashiko (mending or reinforcing stitch), Zanshi (waste thread
fabrics) and Boro, (repeatedly mended and patched textiles). These textiles
heavily inspired Nathan’s own work, which focuses on the Katazome stencil paste
resist technique.
Fresh grilled octopus — skewered for eating while strolling
In
the years since first finding that box of fabric scraps, Nathan has researched traditional
Japanese fabrics to best understand their production and design. He has traveled
to China and Japan to deepen his knowledge about dyeing and weaving. Nathan
experiments extensively, grows cotton in his home garden that he weaves and
dyes, and also works with foraged fibers like Kudzu, wisteria and hemp – all essential
parts of fabric production in Old Japan.
Nathan is an outstanding resource to guide us on this textile adventure, explaining dyeing, weaving and design processes as we travel, helping us to identify cloth origins, quality and value.
What is included?
A total of 12 nights accommodation
12 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 2 dinners as outlined in the
itinerary
Hands-on indigo dye workshop
Textile fabric shopping – vintage and
new
Natural dye, weaving and stitching
demonstrations
Market and gallery tours that
encompass textiles, food, culture
Visits to cultural and historic sites
Shinkansen Bullet Train tickets or
luxury van transportation from Kyoto to Tokyo
Intra-city metro and bus tickets
Entry fees to museums and galleries
as part of the itinerary
Comprehensive pre-trip planning guide
Knowledgeable tour leaders – Norma
and Nathan
Shark skin wasabi grater, of course
What Nathan says:
I am so excited to have this opportunity to
co-lead this tour. Japan is an
amazing country and regardless of where you travel you have a strong connection
to the past and to the Japanese concepts of mottainai (make the best of what you have) and wabi sabi (beauty through imperfection). I am excited to share with others my
love and appreciation of Japan and its traditional textiles. The beauty and
simplicity of the fabric is plain to see, but by learning about the complex way
in which they are made offers a greater appreciation for the intricacies and
aesthetics of this textile tradition.
We reserve the right to
substitute instructors and alter the program as needed.
Cost • $6,495 per person double room with private bath (sleeps 2) in top-rated accommodations • add $985 for a single supplement
Hand-woven ikat with indigo dye
Reservations and Cancellations. We accept payment using online e-commerce only. If for any reason, Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC cancels the tour, a full-refund will be made.
We will send you an itemized
invoice when you tell us you are ready to register. If you cancel on or before August
22, 2020, we will refund 50% of your deposit received to date (less the $750
non-refundable deposit). After August 22, 2020, there are no refunds.
If you register after December 22, 2019 and before March 22, 2020, you will owe 1/4 of the balance due. If you register after March 22 and before May 22, you will owe 1/2 of the balance due. If you register after May 22 and before August 22, you will owe ¾ of the balance due. If you register after August 22, you will owe 100% of the balance due.
Old Japan is still very much present and alive
How to Register: Complete the Registration Form. Email it to norma.schafer@icloud.com
Who Should Attend:
Artists, makers, educators, life-long learners, writers, photographers, textile
lovers, historians and those wanting to learn more about Japanese art,
textiles, culture and history. If you love First World Exotic
Travel and the inspiration of the best of Asia influences, this trip is for
you.
Selection of sake at a Tsukiji market tasting stand
Required–Travel Health/Accident Insurance:
We require that you carry international accident/health insurance that includes
$50,000+ of emergency medical evacuation insurance. Proof of insurance must be
sent at least 45 days
before departure.
In addition, we will send you
by email a PDF of a witnessed waiver of responsibility, holding harmless Norma
Schafer and Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC. We ask that you return this to us by
email 45 days before departure. Unforeseen circumstances happen!
Chef’s choice — this array of dinner selection is not unusual
Reservations and Cancellations.
We accept online e-commerce payments only. We will send you an itemized invoice
when you tell us you are ready to register. All documentation for plane
reservations, required travel insurance, and personal health issues must be
received 45 days before the program start or we reserve the right to cancel
your registration without reimbursement.
Fitness Level – Moderate Terrain, Walking and Group Courtesy: Tour participants must be able to walk two miles, board buses and trains, carry their own luggage unaided, and navigate uneven surfaces including stairs. We may walk more on some days. We recommend you bring a walking stick if you need something to lean on! If you have mobility issues or health/breathing impediments, please consider that this may not be the study tour for you.
Traveling with a small group has its advantages and also means that independent travelers will need to make accommodations to group needs and schedule. We include plenty of free time to go off on your own if you wish.
We know the culture! We are locally owned and operated.
Eric Chavez Santiago is Zapotec, born and raised in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca.
Norma Schafer has been living in Oaxaca for almost 20 years.
We have deep connections with artists and artisans.
63% of our travelers repeat -- high ratings, high satisfaction.
Wide ranging expertise: textiles, folk art, pottery, cultural wisdom.
We give you a deep immersion to best know Oaxaca and Mexico.
Creating Connectionand Meaning between travelers and with indigenous artisans. Meet makers where they live and work. Join small groups of like-minded explorers. Go deep into remote villages. Gain insights. Support cultural heritage and sustainable traditions ie. hand weaving and natural dyeing. Create value and memories. Enjoy hands-on experiences. Make a difference.
What is a Study Tour: Our programs are learning experiences, and as such we talk with makers about how and why they create, what is meaningful to them, the ancient history of patterning and design, use of color, tradition and innovation, values and cultural continuity, and the social context within which they work. First and foremost, we are educators. Norma worked in top US universities for over 35 years and Eric founded the education department at Oaxaca’s textile museum. We create connection.
OCN Creates Student Scholarship at Oaxaca Learning Center Giving back is a core value. Read about it here!
Why We Left, Expat Anthology: Norma’s Personal Essay
Norma contributes personal essay, How Oaxaca Became Home
We Contribute Two Chapters!
Click image to order yours!
Meet Makers. Make a Difference
Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC has offered programs in Mexico since 2006. We have over 30 years of university, textile and artisan development experience. See About Us.
Programs can be scheduled to meet your independent travel plans. Send us your available dates.
Designers, retailers, wholesalers, curators, universities and others come to us to develop artisan relationships, customized itineraries, study abroad programs, meetings and conferences. It's our pleasure to make arrangements.
Select Clients *Abeja Boutique, Houston *Selvedge Magazine-London, UK *Esprit Travel and Tours *Penland School of Crafts *North Carolina State University *WARP Weave a Real Peace *Methodist University *MINNA-Goods *Smockingbird Kids *University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Oaxaca has the largest and most diverse textile culture in Mexico! Learn about it.
When you visit Oaxaca immerse yourself in our textile culture: How is indigenous clothing made, what is the best value, most economical, finest available. Suitable for adults only. Set your own dates.
One-Day Custom Tours: Tell Us When You Want to Go!
Ruta del Mezcal One-Day Tour.We start the day with pottery, visiting a master, then have lunch with a Traditional Oaxaca Cook who is the master of mole making. In Mitla, we meet with our favorite flying shuttle loom weaver, and then finish off with a mezcal tasting at a palenque you will NEVER find on your own! Schedule at your convenience!
October 27, 28, 29: People and Place Photography Workshop in Teotitlán Del Valle with Luvia Lazo, featured in The New Yorker Magazine. Portraits and Street Photography, recipient of Leica Women Foto Project Award Winner 2024. This is an insider's Street and Portrait photography experience. We visit families in their homes to arrange photo sessions, we take you on the back streets where tourists rarely go.
October 30: Day of the Dead in Teotitlan del Valle--Altars and Studio Visits. A one-day immersion into culture, traditions, and meaning in Teotitlan del Valle. In this traditional village, where the native language is still spoken, we take you to meet local artisans who also explain their personal family traditions including who and what is on the altar and why. P.S. We know Teotitlan. We live here!
November 1: Day of the Dead Magic in Mitla--Visit the cemetery with our local host, understand the meaning of the pre-Hispanic altar, help honor the ancestors with offerings, enjoy a traditional meal of mole negro, a feast day speciality in Mitla. A one-day immersion experience.
January 11-19, Oaxaca Coast Textile Study Tour. Visit five remote weaving villages on the Costa Chica--Pacific Coast. See backstrap loom weaving, natural dyeing with rare purple snail dye, diverse language, culture, food. Discover Afro-Mestizo roots. This is one of our more Amazing study tours! We will not offer this tour in 2026! Don't miss it.
February 6-15:Guatemala Textile Study Tour: Cloth and Culture. Discover Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Panajachel, Chichicastenango Market, and visit Coban where they weave fine gauze cloth called pikbil. SOLD OUT
March 12-17: Deep Into the Mixteca Alta: Oaxaca Textile + Folk Art Study Tour 2025. This is cultural immersion at its best! Following the Dominican Route, we visit potteries, churches, Triqui weavers working in natural dyes, a cooperative in Tijaltepec that makes smocked blouses, the expansive Tlaxiaco Saturday Tianguis. Experience another side of Oaxaca.
We require 48-hour advance notice for map orders to be processed. We send a printable map via email PDF after your order is received. Please be sure to send your email address. Where to see natural dyed rugs in Teotitlan del Valle and layout of the Sunday Tlacolula Market, with favorite eating, shopping, ATMs. Click Here to Buy Map After you click, be sure to check PayPal to ensure your email address isn't hidden from us. We fulfill each map order personally. It is not automatic.
Dye Master Dolores Santiago Arrellanas with son Omar Chavez Santiago, weaver and dyer, Fey y Lola Rugs, Teotitlan del Valle
