A Magical Town Woven from Cotton
In Malinalco, the Xoxopastli workshop weaves history. The shawls produced there transform pre-Hispanic vestiges into fretwork patterns that come to life, creating art to wear.
Detalle del trabajo de la artesana Camelia Ramos Zamora en su telar (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
The thread between the sacred and the everyday
In Malinalco, the rebozo shawl is a bridge between times. It connects the pre-Hispanic temples of Cuauhtinchan with the Sunday market. Camelia Ramos Zamora and José Mancio Gutiérrez weave the identity of the people.
Hilos beige en canasta en el Taller Xoxopastli en Malinalco (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Ancient fabric
Among the archaeological remains of Malinalco you can find spindles, small pieces of clay for spinning. They are evidence: weaving has been carried out here since pre-Hispanic times. The tradition was never broken.
Malacate: A pre-Hispanic instrument made of clay or stone used for spinning fibers. Its discovery in Malinalco is confirmation of the region's ancient textile tradition.
La artesana Camelia Ramos Zamora muestra su trabajo frente a zona arqueológica de Malinalco (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Little devils that live on
The cave paintings of Malinalco show the little devils: three women giving birth. Camelia Ramos Zamora and José Mancio Gutiérrez incorporate this sacred fretwork into their shawls, honoring the original cochineal dye.
From stone to textile design
A fox carved in stone in the north of Malinalco inspires new fretwork designs. The artisan couple often explores the ruins, observes petroglyphs, and transforms archaeology into wearable art, into tangible memory.
La artesana Camelia Ramos Zamora, tejedora del Taller Xoxopastli de Malinalco (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Archaeological visits as inspiration
After visiting temples and archaeological sites, Camelia and José return to the workshop with new fretwork designs. What was stone becomes thread. The sacred is reborn as design.
Artesana Camelia Ramos Zamora y artesano José Mancio Gutiérrez trabajan juntos en sus telares (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Designs that are born as a pair
For Camelia Ramos Zamora and José Mancio Gutiérrez, creating is a constant dialogue. Together they select colors, design fretwork patterns, and innovate. "We always agree," says José. The shawls are worked on by two people.
Retrato de la artesana Camelia Ramos Zamora junto a puerta azul en Malinalco (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Fretwork patterns that carry emotions and memory
The fretwork pattern is known as Moving Water, a pre-Hispanic legacy in Malinalco: in blue it's a river, in green it looks like a labyrinth. Each color tells a different story, a different emotion.
Pieza textil del Taller Xoxopastli puesta en modelo (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Daily life is also woven together
It's not just the old that is depicted. The flora and fauna of Malinalco come to life in shawls: scorpions, butterflies, the eye of god. Isaac Ramos taught his heirs to observe Malinalco and weave it with your soul.
Variedad de hilos de colores en el Taller Xoxopastli en Malinalco (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Natural dyes: the palette of the earth
The colors of the shawl come from nature: cochineal provides intense reds, walnut shell creates browns, indigo produces deep blues. As in pre-Hispanic times, Malinalco dyes using the earth.
Hilos de color beige en el telar del Taller Xoxopastli de Malinalco (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Every shawl is a unique piece made by two people
No two shawls are ever the same. The colors are never identical and the patterns vary. Camelia Ramos Zamora and José Mancio Gutiérrez create unique pieces where two hands weave a single vision of Malinalco.
Prendas textiles de colores en exhibición (2025-09-24) by Mario Vázquez SosaMinistry of Culture of the Government of Mexico
Wearable Malinalco: a two-handed tradition
Shawls from the Xoxopastli workshop create a wearable Malinalco. Whoever wears one carries the message of the little devils carved into the rock and ancient spindle whorls. Camelia and José weave living archaeology, a tradition that is carried upon shoulders.
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