In yesterdays post I discussed that we had a wonderful
experience prior to the “sacred breakdown”.
After a good touring of the Ocotlan Friday market, we visited the fabric
village of Santo Tomás Jalieza with its exceptional quality runners and fabric
products made by the ladies consortium right as you watch. We were targeting this craft village as we
were looking for some items that Anne White had requested when she could not
join us. We next stopped at the very
good Azucena Zapoteca restaurant we had experienced a week earlier. This restaurant is located at the entrance
road to San Martín Tilcajete, one of two noted villages for the creation of
alebrijes, the distinctive wooden carvings.
You can check out the reviews of the restaurant at the following
TripAdvisor site: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1575482-d1799374-Reviews-Azucena_Zapoteca-Oaxaca_Southern_Mexico.html.
All 10 reviews presently posted have given them five star excellent
ratings.
After lunch Sebastian was talking with some of the shop sales
ladies and they encouraged him to take us to their family workshop in San Martín
Tilcajete. To facilitate this, one of
the ladies rode with us to the family home, workshop, and sales area. Thank goodness she came along, as it was off
the main craft shop street that we had visited a week prior. Sebastian had not previously been there so it
was a new place for him. After driving
the back dirt streets we drove into the beautiful grounds of the casa and
workshops. We entered the family casa, workshops and sales area of Jacobo & María Angeles. This is when
the “experience” began. You are first
met by a family member who stays with your group throughout the visit. He starts with showing you the types of copal
wood they use, and which they grow themselves in fields across the street from
the home. You learn about the male and female plants and their
differences. Next you are off to the
carving areas where the master carvers of the family are hand carving these
figures in all sizes, both for their local inventory and special orders.
We were then shown how the natural paints are created on-site
with various uses of crushed copal wood and added ingredients. They create figures painted both with natural
and acrylic paints. Finally, in the
painting area there are 25-30 family members painting items sized as small as
your thumb to as large as a small table.
We discussed with a young girl her painting of a large raccoon which she
said it would take her about one year to complete. It was a special order. Another girl showed us her work on a one foot
sized armadillo and explained how each of the individual painted rows depicted
historical objects of Zapotec history.
Next our guide/leader joined us in the sales area and
answered questions about prices, and uniqueness, and assisted us in making any
purchases we would like to make. Oh yes,
Mary Ann and I could not resist and we purchased five items. You will have to visit us in Chelan to
appreciate our growing collection of alebrijes.
Now, Tom Boyd, being a retailer of lumber products and operator of four
building material outlets, was fascinated with the marketing expertise and
smooth operation shown by the Angeles family.
As an example of how sophisticated this family is I suggest you check
out their webpage (will convert to English by clicking the English option) for
if nothing else to view the wonderful craft creations. The site also gives the family and business
history, photos, and other interesting information. Here is the site
connection:
When leaving the business, Mall Boyd asked Jacoby (I assume
he was the patriarch) about the
flowers in what turned out to be a stone baptismal. After discussing the
flowers, he then dipped his hand in the water and placed it on Mary Ann’s
forehead and gave her a Zapotec blessing.
Now this was quite a surprise for her, especially when I asked him to
repeat it so I could take a photo. It is pretty special to have water streaming
down your face and all over your blouse.
In retrospect we are now convinced that this is why our “breakdown”
turned out so well, and the Miracle de Sebastian Pablo Villa occurred.
After this wonderful afternoon, a mere van breakdown could
hardly dampen our spirits. By the way,
when later reading the Viva Oaxaca
guidebook, who raved about the Angeles crafts, it explains that they also own the
very good restaurant, from which we made the connection. In the restaurant gift store, there are many
of the Angeles products which can become very expensive depending on the size.
The blessing of Mary Ann
Angeles master carvers
The Angeles painters
Quirky Living
Note
Portable Car Washes – We learned in
San Miguel de Allende about getting your car washed while at the
supermercado. Here it is taken one step further. At the Plaza Bella, when shopping at a new
Bodega Aurrera on the road to Monte Albán, the wash guys have a neat little
portable canister a little larger than a shop vac. It connects to water and can spray your car
with water and then soapy water. To have
your car washed while shopping it costs 30 pesos, about $2.50. An enterprising teenager in the U.S. should
get one of these little machines, and raise all the money he or she needs for
college.
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