Oaxaca-Weavers, Bulmaro Perez Mendoza

Summer marches on. The Sidewalk Sale was a huge success. Some treasured items from our first buying trip found new homes. We are now preparing lists and making initial contacts for the next trip to Mexico scheduled for later this month.

But, I never finished the reports and photos from the last trip! I'll do a couple posts to introduce you to some of our favorite people and places in Oaxaca. We'll start with the village of Teotitlan del Valle, a short trip outside of Oaxaca City. It is the center for quality rug weaving. One of our first contacts there was Bulmaro Perez Mendoza. It was a Chiripa (happy accident) that we met him. We were walking from the main highway into the village when a car stopped to offer us a ride. Nelson (Bulmaro's brother) wouldn't take no for an answer and all four of us piled into his small car that also carried his wife and two children. It was a happy ride and he took us to the weaving workshop of his family: Father and Sons Rugs (Centenario #27). We learned of the rug-making process including the use of natural materials in the dyes. The following photo is Bulmaro giving a demonstration to visiting tourists and his mother carding wool in the background.


The color red comes from the cochinilla bug that grows on the cactus. You can see the white spots on the cactus in the next photo. Depending on what is mixed with the red powder from the dried bugs (an acid like lime or a base like alum), the weaver is able to achieve different shades of red (from purple to cardinal red).


We were fortunate on our last trip to arrive just after the family had spent two months dying the wool for this year's rugs. We were shown an upstairs room lined with beautiful shades of naturally dyed wool.


Bulmaro's wife told us that after the wool is dyed it retains the smell of the plant used to color the yarn. In this next photo she is smelling pecans!


A new house has been built closer to the main highway and Nelson has moved in there to work in his own space. He has learned well from his brother.


I photographed an older man weaving on the patio, but it wasn't until later that I learned that he is the father of "Father and Sons Rugs."


One of the prize rugs we brought back to the shop is this spectacular tapestry of birds on a red cochinilla background. The rug is signed by Bulmaro. It's not up on the website, yet. Stop in the shop to see it. It measures about 2.5 x 5 feet and is $550.


The rugs at Chiripa are some of our most treasured products. We hope they go to homes where people will enjoy them as much as we do!