Sunday, February 7, 2010

San Cristóbal Zapotitlán - South Shore Lake Chapala Feb 2010


Cooperativa Mi Pueblito San Cristóbal

I can always think of a reason to take a ride over to the 
south shore of Lake Chapala to visit San Cristóbal,
and up high on that list is a stop at the 
basket (canasta) and corn husk doll (muñeca) cooperative.

Zaragosa #33 A
387-763-2167

There is a small green sign on the highway
with an arrow pointing towards the lake - turn there.
The road is paved, follow it about a mile
until you reach the big soccer field on the right.
The cooperativo is just past that.
Thirty artists, all from San Cristóbal, have formed a cooperative
to produce and sell the palm baskets and corn husk dolls they make.
They have been doing this for 13 years.

Here are a few of their offerings.

The front show room.
Baskets!


Dolls.

More baskets!
More dolls!

María Florentina Osorio Rito with flower bouquet and raw palm
spines used in the baskets.

María is the woman in charge and is very knowledgeable, 
friendly, and helpful.

The dolls are all exquisitely different, and range in size from about 6 inches
to about a foot and a half for the Virgin de Guadalupe.  
Most dolls are about a foot high.

Prices for the dolls go from $12 pesos (about 90 cents US)
to $75 pesos for the 'foot high' size (about $5.75 US)

The most impressive doll of all is, 
fittingly, the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Here she is.

The Virgin of Guadalupe


The artist and her daughter.


The dolls are all made by hand and entirely of corn husks.
It is a long and intricate process.

First step is selecting and sorting the best dried corn husks.
Then the husks are painted and allowed to dry.
Following that, they wet them and shape them into the design.
Next they are dried.
Finally, any added touches are put on and the doll is ready.

Here is a catalog of basket shapes:

Click to enlarge.
All the baskets are sturdy and well made.


 Go visit!  
You won't be sorry!

4 comments:

  1. I´ve been a fan of dolls since I was a kid. Mexicans make great dolls.

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  2. After reading the article last night I was really disappopinted today when we travelled to San Cristobel only to find that Mi Pueblito has been replaced by a hardware / general store.

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  3. Elizabeth, I believe it has only moved into someone's house. I think the cost of running the shop became too much and that the whole thing has been moved. Did you ask around? If you ask, someone will direct you. If I remember correctly, it's now on Colon St. They are still making them and still selling them and there are a couple of other shops as well. If you go back, ask around. Suerte!

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