A post from the log that JM kept on the August 09 buying trip to Mexico for Chiripa. -kl
We knocked on the wooden door, not far from the center of Patzcuaro. After a pause, the door opened and we were warmly welcomed by our friends at Echery Pottery. Echery works with Barro Sin Plomo (“Clay Without Lead”), a non-profit charity that promotes lead-free pottery methods in rural communities. The effort is important for the health of artisans and their families – especially children – as well as for consumers.
Chiripa was an early supporter of this lead-free effort. But lead-free producers face competitive challenges, especially because cheaper lead-containing ceramics are still finding their way across the border for food use (often by immigrant populations) in the United States.
Our friends took us to several villages, and down dirt lanes, to the homes of participating lead-free producers. You would be amazed at the beauty that skilled artisans create in these humble and unexpected places (you can glimpse some of their work at Chiripa).
Later, we stopped at the town of Tzintzuntzan, capital of the pre-Columbian Tarascan Empire. The ancient ruins above the town command a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding mountains.
The stone ramparts were built with carefully fitted stones, without mortar. On the road below the ruins, there are workshops that carry on the stonework tradition – producing “cantera” stone carvings (garden ornaments and other statuary).
If you can’t get to Tzintzuntzan yourself, you can see some fine examples at Chiripa. --JM August 14, 2009
Saturday and Sunday, August 15 - 16: The Chiripa 2009 Summer Buying Trip to Mexico
Saturday was another trip out to Tzintzuntzan. JM walked the ruins while Beth did the market.
Beth is in search of cornhusk flowers. They are sold by the piece or in bunches of a dozen. We have never found them in other markets. We like to buy from the source, but, the "source" in this case is the market booth that distributes the flowers that are made in the homes of people in the area.
Back in Patzcuaro a total of four trips to Adame were required to get the textiles we needed. Although their storefront is conveniently located just off the Zocalo in Patzcuaro, it is small and carries much more than the table linens we buy. Enrique will go back to the workshop to get more of what we need. Stripes are the best sellers right now.
At some point, either Saturday evening or Sunday morning everythings is delivered to the Barro Sin Plomo/Echery Pottery office. Mitchell at Echery will carefully pack not only the pottery we've purchased and ordered from their local potters, he will pack the cornhusk flowers, the table linens, the baskets, the _____________ (fill in the blank). Each item will be marked "Made in Mexico/Hech en Mexico" along with the material in the product. The boxes will then wait at Echery to be picked up by our shipper in Guadalajara, Space Logistics. SL makes a weekly or more frequent trip to Patzcuaro.
Sunday noon Beth and JM leave Patzcuaro for a 4 hour bus ride to Guadalajara. Shopping begins bright and early Monday morning.
Michell Aguila Sanchez, Mr. Ship.
