The Legacy of Pre-Hispanic Weaving, Passed Down Through Generations

In the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, palm weaving is a craft deeply rooted in the state’s traditions and culture. These natural products stand out for their freshness and durability. Woven palm pieces, found in markets all across Oaxaca, are part of a pre-Hispanic weaving tradition.

Made from palm leaves, these items come in a variety of shapes and colors, and are primarily aimed at the tourist market. One of the most traditional products is the petate—a multipurpose mat used for sleeping.

However, palm is also used to create many other items such as tenates (special palm baskets for tortillas), hats, fans, small brooms (escobetas), bags, baskets, and even chairs.

Tenates of palm by hand.

The process of obtaining the raw material for these crafts begins with selecting the best palm leaves, which are then sun-dried for about half a week. Afterward, the leaves are dyed in hot water using natural colors like red, yellow, pink, green, and purple to create a variety of patterns and designs.

The crafting process is done entirely by hand, weaving leaf by leaf to form a solid structure that holds the palm together.Each leaf is moistened before weaving, as this makes it more flexible and prevents it from breaking.

Tenate made by hand with natural palm.

Many Oaxacan families dedicate themselves to the creation of these crafts and pass the trade on to their children, considering it a cultural inheritance handed down from generation to generation.

However, as children grow up, they often lose interest in continuing this work, as it is physically demanding and requires long hours of weaving while bent over.

Some families have established workshops to teach young people the craft and help preserve their cultural heritage—ensuring that this ancestral art form does not fade into oblivion.

Mother and daughter knitting a palm toghether.

Children knitting traditional decoration by hand.

The number of artisans producing these crafts has declined, as the income generated from selling them is often not enough, and people are unwilling to pay a fair price for these handmade products.

Additionally, the replacement of palm with plastic has led to a significant drop in craft sales, since plastic is easier to work with and more affordable.

Tenates made with reclycled plastic.

Another obstacle in the production of these crafts is the shortage of real palm, the raw material used by artisans. This plant grows in warm climates with consistently moist soil throughout the year.

However, prolonged droughts, forest fires, and rising temperatures in recent years have severely hindered its growth.

Palma tree.

Despite all these challenges, we must value the work of the artisans who though fewer in number continue to create their crafts as a means of survival and as a way to keep alive the heritage passed down to them by their ancestors.

A family weaving traditional palm crafts.

If you visit a market or a place where these crafts are sold, don’t hesitate to take one home.

By doing so, you’ll be supporting one of the few families still dedicated to this work.

For them, this craft is not only their main source of income—it’s also a vital way to preserve our traditions.

Sources:

Explora Oaxaca (23 de abril, 2019). La artesanía de palma en la Mixteca de Oaxaca: tradición y belleza. Recuperado 30 de julio de 2024, de http://exploraoaxaca.mx/14317/general/la-artesania-de-palma-en-la-mixteca-de-oaxaca-tradicion-y-belleza/

Impacto Latino (24 de marzo, 2024). Artesanos de palma viven 'viacrucis' por sequía e incendios en Oaxaca, en el sur de México. Recuperado 30 de julio de 2024, de https://impactolatino.com/artesanos-de-palma-viven-viacrucis-por-sequia-e-incendios-en-oaxaca-en-el-sur-de-mexico/

Cultural survival (21 de octubre, 2020). Transformando la palma en arte: Juan García Mendoza. Recuperado 30 de julio de 2024, de https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/transformando-la-palma-en-arte-juan-garcia-mendoza

Industrial News BC (20 de noviembre, 2022). Oaxaca: las últimas artesanas de abanicos de palma en Juchitán. Recuperado 30 de julio de 2024, de https://www.industrialnewsbc.com/2022/11/20/oaxaca-las-ultimas-artesanas-de-abanicos-de-palma-en-juchitan/

El Sol de México (9 de septiembre, 2018). Artesanías de palma y unas manos que tejen belleza. Recuperado 30 de julio de 2024, de https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/cultura/arte/artesanias-de-palma-y-unas-manos-que-tejen-belleza-1980988.html