These traditional Zapotec Mexican rug designs capture the beauty of the landscape, replicate the stone carvings on the archeological ruins of the Oaxaca Valley, and convey the artistry of the culture. The first rug on the left, Zapotec Eye of God, uses the natural dyes of indigo blue, the cochineal bug, and pomegranates. All the rugs shown here are of the highest quality pure 100% churro sheep wool grown in the Mixtec highlands of Oaxaca. The next rug (left to right) is called Thunders and Diamonds. This is a very traditional design in the village of Teotitlan del Valle. This rug is naturally dyed, too, with lichens, cochineal, indigo and pecans. The next rug is the Square Snail, that uses all indigo in various shades. The snail (caracol) here incorporates the greca or fret motif, a symbol that represents the stages of life: birth, growth, death, and rebirth. The next rug to the right of the Square Snail is called Contemporary, designed by Federico Chavez Sosa to incorporate the traditional Mitla ruins with a new look. The last rug is Pina de Maguey. The pineapple of the maguey cactus grows beneath the earth and is cultivated to produce both mezcal and tequila. The Oaxaca valley is filled with maguey fields. This rug, which Federico also designed, combines the traditional Zapotec Diamonds pattern with the interpretation of the maguey (or agave) plant. is also completely dyed with indigo. The color variations of indigo, from deep blues and purples to paler shades, results from the amount of indigo used and whether it is mixed with an acid or base.
These rugs are available for sale and can be special ordered in any size, up to 9′ x 12′
See my website and the Rug Gallery for more examples of great Mexican rug patterns.
Names
Federico Chavez Sosa: People here have at least two family names. The first last name is the father’s name followed by the mother’s name. Federico’s father was Jose Chavez Ruiz and his wife is Soledad Sosa XXX. Federico’s wife is Dolores Santiago Arellanas. Their children are Eric Chavez Santiago, Janet Chavez Santiago and Omar Chavez Santiago; they carry both their father’s and mother’s names. This is helpful and important in a village where many share the same surnames. So, for example, there several people who are named Eric Chavez, but only one Eric Chavez Santiago. There is a distant cousin named Eric Chavez Sosa, so it is important to be clear about the distinctions in order to find the people you are looking for. Take, for another example, Josefina Ruiz Vasquez, the owner/operator of Las Granadas bed and breakfast. She was married to Eligio Bazan Ruiz, who died almost three years ago at age 38 of cancer. He was a master weaver who traveled with Scott Roth throughout the United States exhibiting rugs and making some of the finest work of the village. When Eligio died, Josefina had no livelihood. She was living with her mother in law, Eligio’s mother, Magdalena, in her husband’s family home. Josefina has three children, Eloisa Francesca Bazan Ruiz, Willibaldo Bazan Ruiz, and Eligio Bazan Ruiz.
According to HarperCollins Dictionary…..
nombre de pila, noun
first name
The pila referred to here is the font in which Christian children are traditionally baptized.
Most of the first names in Spain have some kind of Christian associations. It’s not uncommon for a boy to be called Jesús (with an accent) after Jesus, or José, after Joseph. It’s equally common for a girl to be named María, after the Virgin Mary. There is also a tendency to sandwich names together, making combinations like José María (for a boy) or María Jesús (for a girl).
Though a lot of these names are used in Latin America, you are also more likely to come across names which do not have any specific religious associations.
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Posted in Cultural Commentary, Teotitlan del Valle
Tagged Dolores Santiago Arellanas, Eligio Bazan Ruiz, Eric Chavez Santiago, Federico Chavez Sosa, Josefina Ruiz Vasquez, Las Granadas B&B, Mexican names, Scott Roth