Zapotec Post-Earthquake Reconstruction | Oaxaca MX

Among natural dyes made from local plants, we came to understand that caring for the territory means much more than protecting common goods. For the Earth to be in harmony with the opportunities we create from its plants, we also need to learn how to read the harvest and be careful with each process.

A group of 21 women lived a beautiful and meaningful experience alongside José, a local artist who preserves the knowledge of natural dyeing and who also has the generosity to share what he knows.

“There should be more spaces like this for the development of traditional arts, which are becoming less and less present in society. These arts tend to disappear because of globalization and faster processes that often lack the sense of belonging and the essence of something made by hand,” José told us when we asked him what dream had been awakened in him after sharing this workshop with the women of Unión Hidalgo.

José taught us how to work with four plants: cempasúchil, huizache, palo campeche, and indigo. We learned how dyes are obtained, how they are cooked, and how to take care of each application. But beyond the technique, he also shared how dyeing is connected to recognizing and observing the territory: the harvest seasons, the right time to gather certain plants, and how some plants must be harvested at a very specific moment of the year, otherwise they are not good for dyeing.

We also learned about the importance of gathering and caring for local cempasúchil production, the emblematic Day of the Dead flower in Mexico. We talked about the preservation of trees like huizache, which is often not valued because it has thorns, even though it has both dyeing and healing properties. José also gave us very valuable advice on how to preserve fabrics and garments, how to dye them, and how to recognize whether a dye is natural or chemical.

One story that stood out was Aura’s. She had already experimented with dyeing natural palm fiber, one of the materials most used in the town. This workshop inspired her and gave her the confidence to bring these techniques into her own creations.

We have shared before about the women we accompany in Unión Hidalgo, Oaxaca. Most of them are merchants, and they have come together through recognizing themselves as caregivers of others. Together, we have reflected on a question that stays with us: who cares for those of us who care?

This time, we painted ourselves in color to understand that when we turn our eyes toward the treasures of the territory and the care they need, we can also see ourselves reflected there and strengthen one another in community.

This workshop also opened the door to exchanging handmade garments and other creations for sale. Una Mano para Oaxaca’s workshops are not only spaces to share knowledge and encourage productivity. They are also spaces where stories, ways of life, and love for the territory are shared.

Thank you for helping make another space possible for creating meaningful change in women’s lives.