Embroidery of the Cosmos: A Relationship of Fabric and Life
Embroidery of the Cosmos: A Relationship of Fabric and Life
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Traditions in fabric
In the heart of San Luis Potosí, in Tamaletom, dwells a culture of dreams and stories embodied in embroideries. The Alabel Duche' collective keeps the history and traditions of its land alive.
Teenek artisan from the Alabel Dhuche' Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Collective stories
A group of more than 12 artisans captures, in each woven thread, a little of their history and what makes the Teenek culture special.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Living culture
Embroidery has represented a way of transmitting ancestral knowledge from generation to generation. They are a great book of stories that grandparents used to tell children.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Preserving traditions
Modernity has brought great challenges to preserving Teenek traditions. Cecilia Santiago and Cornelio Medina, both members of the collective, have made efforts with the rest of the community to preserve the ancestral teachings of their town.
Teenek artisan from the Alabel Dhuche' Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Garments with tradition
In the Teenek traditions, in their dances and rituals, the clothing they wear and the stories they tell are extremely important.
Teenek artisan from the Alabel Dhuche' Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
An ancestral garment
The quexquémitl is not only a garment, it is a representation of their cosmovision.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Meanings and rituals
Next to the Teenek star that represents the new life that is formed, there is the tree of life that symbolizes the family from its roots to its growth.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Graphic patterns and history
The graphic patterns on their garments signal the beginning and the end, something that all human beings share as brothers and sisters. The quexquémitls are deeply connected to the Teenek way of life.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Beliefs and traditions
The reverse of the embroidery is the chronicle of a life: a tree that begins in its youth, blooms with the family, and finally returns to the beginning to symbolize the complete cycle of existence.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Union and traditions
In ancient times, when getting married, the Teenek gave a quexquémitl to the bride and groom. This garment, proudly worn on the day of the wedding, symbolized the union and the beginning of a new stage.
Teenek artisan from the Alabel Dhuche' Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Rituals
When a Teenek dies, he is dressed with an upside-down quexquémitl to symbolize the end of his life cycle.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Ancestral beliefs
Before burial, the worms embroidered on the garment are burned with a blessed candle. It is believed that, with this act, the little animals depicted come to life and protect the body from decomposition.
Embroidery from the Alabel Dhuche Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Fabric, tradition, and cosmos
The Teenek, in their deep connection with nature and worldview, have intertwined their beliefs with every thread of their clothing. Each quexquémitl narrates life cycles, rituals, and the interconnection of the being with the cosmos.
Teenek artisan from the Alabel Dhuche' Collective, in Tamaletom, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (2023-08-30) by Hugo Martínez ToledoMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
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