Crafting Dreams in Mexico. My Feature in the ‘Artisan Joy’ Spotlight Series!

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Allison Nevins hand punching papel picado in Mexico.

Hola and hello! I hope everyone is staying warm out there in TexMexlandia!! This little announcement might warm your heart anyway: I was recently asked to grant an interview with the fine folks at Artisanjoy.com. Artisan Joy is a website that celebrates exactly what you would expect: The joy of being an artisan!

Being the attention-depraved soul that I am, I leaped at the chance for some spotlight! They were kind enough to make me come across as way more professional than I actually am…which is very much appreciated!

Anyhoo, instead of reading the interview here, I will send you over to their website where they highlight different artist/entrepreneurs like me who make a living out of art! Maybe even subscribe 😜 because I know you will love their articles!

Click Here for the direct link to my interview…and as always, Gracias and Thanks!

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The Mayhem called Guadalupe – Reyes Marathon

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Guadalupe Reyes

***WARNING*** This is a breakdown of events that some people take very seriously, like the 8 pound 6 oz baby Jesus story. If you are a highly strung Christian, read at your own risk. Seriously, this is potentially offensive as it starts off light and fun and then gets real non-Christian-y pretty quickly. Gracias.

The Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon is yet another fabulous example of Mexico’s religious, yet very festive culture. At some point in the 1990’s, enough like-minded Mexicans decided to rename the vacation period from December 12 (Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe) to January 6 (Day of the Three Wise Men or “Tres Reyes Magos”) as just one big long ass holiday with a mission. Both the beginning and the end of the marathon are deeply entrenched in Catholic / Christian annual milestones, but the attitude and antics that go on in between the two religious holidays are very much not so.

This fine group of fiesta goers are enjoying ‘Posadas Navideñas’. These 9 nightly parties occur right smack dab in the middle of Guadalupe – Reyes and are not easy to continue attending, unless you are Mexican who was born and raised for exactly this type of fiesta stamina. These amigos are enjoying their papel picado and piñata beating!

This period includes all 9 nights of Posadas Navideñas leading up to Christmas Eve, then Christmas, then New Years and finally 3 Kings Day which, linked together, create a “marathon” of festivities. During this period, the challenge is not only to attend every event, but to drink at least one type of alcoholic beverage every day. 🍹 This Marathon isn’t technically ‘legit’ Mexican Folklore; it is merely a pop-culture activity that is easier for some than others 🫠 💃 #fiestastamina

But Ron Burgundy explains it better…


Today Mexico celebrates the longest holiday in the world….Guadalupe – Reyes.
That’s 3 weeks of steadfast drinking and unyielding tomfoolery. Buckle up, amigos.  See ya in 3 weeks.”

As someone who loves a never ending party, I committed to this tradition years ago! However, today is January 3, 2024 and I am 51 years years old and I don’t think I am going to make it another 3 days to to the finish line which is El Dia de Reyes! John Travolta, as shown below, displays exactly how I felt on Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe versus I how I look and feel at this moment in time…

The Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon can put a person through many changes 😝💃 🍺 🥂 📅 👵🏻

Luckily I still look better than John in the Santa jumpsuit, but you get the drift. If you would like a full breakdown of the significance and traditions of El Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe, please refer to our previous blog post here… VIRGIN

This post is mostly to cover Three Kings Day so that we can tie the three week period together with a big ass bow…and then I can finally rest 😜!

Courtesy of Shutterstock – 3 Kings aka 3 Reyes aka 3 Magi

OK, ‘Los Tres Magos’, or ‘The 3 Wise Men’ or ‘Los Reyes’ are obviously part of the whole Christmas birth story of Jesus. What my Presbyterian minister mom never tied together for me as a young sermon-listening child is that according to the bible, these 3 dudes were not magically already at the manger like they are seen in our nativity scenes. In fact, biblical events apparently happened in this order:

  1. Jesus was born (although not technically on December 25, in fact it is more likely he was born in March or April, but Christians wanted to supersede pre-existing Pagan traditions and anyway, I digress).
  2. Three men (who were either actual kings or just liked riding around on their camels together) see a big bright star that night while in Nazareth, Israel.
  3. These yahoos perceive that the star was talking to them 😳 about how the REAL King of Kings 👑 was born in a town far away (Bethlehem, in current West Bank) and to go there on said camels to bring him gifts.
  4. It actually takes them approximately 7 days to get to Mary, Joseph and Jesus according to Nicole DePue (Jerusalem University College, Master’s degree in biblical history and geography). Now if you are like me, I always saw these guys in the manger scene and assumed they fast tracked it that night, but I guess MJJ just hung around and waited 7-ish days for them to arrive 🤷‍♀️ 🤪 I hope frankincense and myrrh were worth the wait ⏰ !
  5. The day the 3 Amigos arrive is called 3 Kings Day here in Mexico, but is more known in most Christian denominations as ‘Epiphany’.
  6. 2024-ish years go by and in Mexico, this day becomes the BIG SCOREBOARD DAY for Christmas presents for the kids. This is a gift-giving day more sacred than Santa’s arrival Christmas morning. Homes do not take down holiday decorations until after this day and stores do not have post – Christmas clearance sales until January 7. The End.

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You may have done some math in your head and realized that if it took the Three Kings approximately 7 days between star-gazing and gift delivery service that our Master’s Degree friend Nicole researched, then why are we celebrating Epiphany/3 Kings Day on the 12th day after Christmas?

12 Days of Christmas and Advent are totally different, but there are so many damn Christmas related holidays that it’s too confusing to understand the difference.

I am not prepared for the research on that, BUT this 12 day period of time is the famous 12 Days of Christmas! Once again, Minister Mom gave me the impression that the 12 Days of Christmas were part of the lead up BEFORE Christmas that I came to assume were the reason for Posadas Navideñas! #toomanyholidaystoolittletime #blessedbethyliver

So to be clear,

  1. Posadas represent the 9 days and nights that Mary and Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem (she was slow in her 3rd trimester after all)
  2. Epiphany is the same as 3 Kings Day and it is 12 days after Christmas
  3. In reality, it only took the Kings 1 week to get to Jesus, but Christians chose the ’12 Days of Christmas’ instead – Not to be confused with Advent 🤷‍♀️
  4. Dia de Reyes/Epiphany is the beginning of the pre-fast period before ‘Lent’ which winds us into yet another holiday…CARNAVAL / Mardi Gras!
  5. You thought I was going to say Easter or some shit 🤪
Rosca de Reyes cake on left and Kings Cake – both baby Jesus filled and eaten at the same time and for the same reason. Both photos courtesy of Shutterstock

Celebrating the Day itself: Every January 6th, Mexicans celebrate Epiphany/Dia de Reyes with a Kings cake – similar to our Mardi Gras Kings cake with a tiny plastic baby inside, however this cake is called La Rosca de Reyes. Same idea, different toppings, same baby Jesus…and whoever cuts a piece of this Rosca de Reyes and gets the baby in their slice, are the ones who have to provide the tamales for everyone on yet another holiday called…Candlemas Day, February 2, a day that celebrates the Virgin Mary….and tamales 🫔

Do you see how the festivities go on and on down here?! Full circle party back to the Virgin, yo. That may or may not be another blog post, but suffice to say, as much attention as these 3 Wise Crackers get, the Virgin Mother gets even more. Now if only the 3 wise men had been women…

It’s funny cuz it’s true. Courtesy of FaceBook page Forgotten Ireland with a mere 530K likes • 641K followers 😮 🇮🇪

All things Virgin and 3 Kings are appreciated throughout this season and up to February 2nd! So stock up today on our Virgen de Guadalupe (- Reyes 😉) papel picado 2packs! They are green, white and red and can be used throughout the marathon and then brought back out for Mexican Independence Day in September! #omganotherholiday

Virgin of Guadalupe Papel Picado Mexicano
2Pack of Tri-Colored Handmade Paper Papel Picado La Virgen de Guadalupe Available here!

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IN CONCLUSION: my liver is killing me, my under eye skin is more crepey than ever and I still have 3 more nights to go. I hope everyone gets the chance to celebrate this season like a Mexican once in their lives and my advice is to do it before you are 51! Gracias and thanks and Happy New Year!

MORE Bad Ass Méxicana Chingonas!

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OK, hopefully you read about the first batch of bad asses Méxicana Chingonas in my last post. In case not, we will start with the definition of CHINGONA…

A ‘mujer’ is a woman. There you have it. Case Closed. Gracias and Thanks! to our friends at @ChingonaDefinition

NONE of the following chingona cabronas are Frida Kahlo…although Frida and lesbianism was/will be a common theme in this post You will see a little of Frida, but a lot more of her lifelong love, Diego Rivera weaving his way in and out of stories of these magnificent ladies’ lives. First and most closely being the life of our first Grand Dame…

Dolores Olmedo

María de los Dolores Olmedo y Patiño Suárez (yes, that’s her full name 1908-2002) known as Doña Lola- I have a girl crush on this Girl Boss Broad. And yes, I can call her that because when a broad recognizes the broadiness in the soul of another, it must be shouted out.

Mrs. Olmedo loved flaunting her independence. Once asked how she would like to be remembered, she replied: ”Just as I am — a woman who did whatever she felt like doing, and luckily succeeded at it.” #micdrop

Doña Lola (as we will call her) grew up in Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution. Then her dad died and starvation and danger were issues for her and her brothers. Evidently she was always independent, a force to be reckoned with, revolutionary, and basically bad ass from the get go. She credited her mom for everything she did, stating:

I am the product of the efforts of a Mexican woman, taught by another Mexican woman to love her country above all things.

Doña Lola, Bitches!

Our girl was super educated, studying law at a time when few women reached university level education. However, her lifelong passion for the arts and culture of Mexico led her away from law and into a career in art. She quit law to study at the National School of Music and the Academy of Saint Carlos…which is evidently a pretty big deal. 

Doña Lola was 17 when she and her mother had a chance run in on an elevator with Diego Rivera. Then he was a renowned artist in his 40’s working on murals in the building. ”He asked my mother if he could make some drawings of me. She agreed without knowing that I would pose nude.” OOPS!

(Left) Older Doña with her Mexican Hairless dog at her Hacienda Home, now museum and (Right) Younger Doña posing for Diego Rivera for his most famous painting of her | Photos: MXCity

She had a close friendship with Diego, but not necessarily his wife, Frida Kahlo. Rivera painted our Doña as a Tehuana, (see photo above) idealizing her as the beauty of the ultimate Mexican woman…so I’m sure that never went over really well with Frida. We’ll get back to this storyline in a moment.

After Frida died, Diego was a broke ass bitch and so he asked his longtime “friend” to buy all of Frida’s and his collection pieces since he know Doña would take care of the joint collection. Then she was accused of having grossly underpaid for Frida’s shit by other Mexican art collectors. Stories swirled that Doña was jealous and trying to sabotage Kahlo’s legacy. She actually conceded in an interview with The New York Times,

”I was never a friend of Frida Kahlo. Frida Kahlo liked women. I liked men.”

Diego specifically! #baller

 

 

 

After divorcing some dude in the 1940’s, she became one of the first Mexican women to succeed in real estate development and construction. Women did not run companies in México back then, especially construction companies! She started networking with leading industrialists and politicians which fueled rumors that she was banging several Mexican presidents. Doña Lola coyly denied these rumors, but ended up marrying and divorcing three times.  #queseráserá

All of these factors left her with some serious ‘dinero’ so she bought an 8 acre property where her current kick ass museum is located is in Xochimilco, in the southern part of Mexico City. It’s a hacienda from the 16th century which was named La Noria (The Well) by someone at some point, but is now the Dolores Olmeda Patiño Museum.

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She purchased the “farm” in 1962, remodeled it, and moved in circa 1964. In the mid-1980’s she announced that she would convert her home into a museum and then donate her collection for permanent display there. During the renovations, the architects discovered some serious f-ing problems. Eager to get their grubby hands on her collection and the revenue the new museum would generate…the government paid the renovation costs, and in late 1994 the museum opened.

Mr. TexMex Fun Stuff and I went once and the grounds are as amazing as the collection inside… animals freely roam the grounds: peacocks, ducks, Canadian geese, chickens, turkeys and xoloitzcuintles—an endangered species of hairless, ugly as sin pre-Hispanic dogs called Xolos. Here are some shots…

Xolos hanging out by a statue of a Xolo/ Description of Xolos/ Me and a few friends hanging at the hacienda
/ Sculpture of Diego Rivera’s bust | Photos: TexMex Fun Stuff

As said in MyHero.com…”Doña Lola was not merely an art collector. She was a lover of art, of culture, of tradition. She was a highly successful businesswoman and industrialist. She was the beautiful muse of paintings. She was a philanthropist who bequeathed her collection to her Mexican peoples.” And a big time chingona!!! (they didn’t say that last part, I did).

Here is an English description of her museum… http://www.revistascisan.unam.mx/Voices/pdfs/3014.pdf

Rosario Ibarra de Piedra

Rosario (1927-present) is alive and kicking at 93-ish years of age. She is a four time candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize and was twice a candidate for the Presidency of México with the Revolutionary Workers Party (PRD). She never actually won either of them, but that never stopped her.

She and her husband and 4 kids lived in Saltillo, Coahuila, just 85 kilometers from Monterrey. Her work as an activist and politician began when on April 18, 1975 her son Jesús Piedra Ibarra was kidnapped for political reasons while he was studying medicine in Monterrey.

The second oldest of her four kids, 21-year-old Jesús was accused of belonging to a communist armed movement known as the Communist League September 23. He was arrested and was “disappeared” by federal police after the murder of a policeman, Guillermo Valdez Villarreal. We can only assume they used the murder of this officer to justify arresting alleged communists. Hard to say though, because Rosario’s husband (Jesus’ dad) had officially been affiliated with the Mexican Communist Party, but not Jesus to all known documentation. He just happened to be in Monterrey on April 18, 1975 …#badtiming

Fighting Lucha Mama Style! Take it to the streets, cabrona!! | Photos: Mexico Desconocido

Wkipedia tells us that…When her cries for resolution were unheard she formed the Comité Eureka de Desaparecidos (“The Eureka Committee of the Disappeared”) with about 100 other women in 1977. As a result of her efforts, including several hunger strikes, 148 out of 557 political prisoners on her lists were liberated during the López Portillo administration (1976–1982).

Their mantra was…

“They took them alive, we want them alive!”

#hellyes!

The movement was dedicated to protesting against the illegal arrests and killings of militants in opposition to the government in the chapter of Mexican history known as the Dirty War….Guerra Sucia…six-years of Gustavo Díaz Ordaz and Luis Echeverría Alvarez, following the persecution and illegal detention of militants of armed and social political movements.

45 years later, information on the fate of the poor kid has not been clarified. However, some files indicate that the young man was imprisoned and tortured in various underground prisons. The kidnapping was carried out by members of the Federal Directorate of Security in Monterrey….yikes.

Also, Rosario has fought for indigenous communities and against violence against women and electoral fraud. She joined the struggle to demand clarification of the women killed in Ciudad Juarez and the killings of indigenous people in Chiapas and Guerrero, during the six-year period of Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León.

She even went on a hunger strike for the release of political prisoners. In late 1978, the government issued an amnesty law, but the whereabouts of the disappeared persons were not clarified. The amnesty resulted in the release of 1,500 prisoners detained with irregularities, the return of 57 exiles and the cancellation of 2,000 arrest warrants.

In 1982 she became the first woman in Mexico to run for the presidency with the Workers Revolutionary Party (PRT), a Trotskyist party (remember Trostsky?). In 1988, she ran for the presidency a second time, again with the PRT. In 1994 she became a federal deputy of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). Needless to say, didn’t happen, but not for lack of trying.

In the current Prez of Mexico (AMLO)’s closing remarks during during his 2018 presidential campaign, he stated that on election day he would cross out his name on the ballot and, as a tribute, write in Rosario Ibarra de Piedra. …In 2019, AMLO and the Mexican Senate decorated her with the Dominguez Belisario Award (the highest award that Mexico gives to citizens for their contribution to the country) for her political activism and defense of human rights.

Read more about Rosario Ibarra de Piedra

Silvia Torres-Peimbert

Silvia (1940-present) is the first Mexican woman to obtain a Doctorate in Astronomy. She is one of the most internationally recognized Mexican scientists for her research on interstellar matter.

When she was in high school, a teacher encouraged her to take science. So at 18 she began to study Physics at the Faculty of Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

The Astrophysics course that was taught at UNAM was attended by just four students: two men and two women. She was one of them. Silvia was already captivated by astronomy and had decided to get a doctorate. She soon found out that all the prestigious universities were in the United States AND that they only admitted men! #CHINGA!

Shoot for the skies, sister!! | Photo Credit: Mujeres Con Ciencia

Silvia tried to enroll at Caltech because she had a chance of being accepted there because her husband, Manuel Peimbert, also wanted to study astronomy and she could attend as his wife. Pfft.

However, instead of choosing Caltech, Señora Silvia scored a scholarship to University of California, Berkeley, where she could study for a doctorate in astronomy. This was at a time when women were not expected to have a career, so caring for their two children while continuing her career was a bit of a challenge. #GirlGoals

Silvia Torres was a pioneer in the use of satellites for her important observations. In early 2011, she won the L’Oréal-Unesco Prize awarded by the United Nations Organization in the category of “Women of Science”, due to her research on the chemical composition of planetary nebulae (?), which is considered essential to astronomer’s understanding of the beginning of the cosmos.

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In 2012, she was chosen by the General Assembly of the “International Astronomical Union” to be President of the organization from 2015 to 2018- she is the first Mexican to be honored with this position. Basically the IAU comes up with the names of planets and other celestial objects, as well as standards in astronomy. #nottooshabby

She is also the past editor of the Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics and the past President of the International Astrological Union being only the second women to preside over this organization based in Paris, France that brings together more than 11,000 specialists from 90 countries. Plus she raised two kids. How on earth?

Read more about Silvia Torres-Peimbert

Dolores del Río

Dolores El Río (1904-1983) was an actress, singer and dancer who’s career spanned more than 50 years. She is known as the first Latin American actress to cross over into Hollywood and who paved the way for María Félix and Katy Jurado. Some films include The Fugitive with Henry Fonda and Flaming Star with Elvis.

When Dolores was 15 years old she asked her mother if she could take dance lessons, but she was stricken with insecurity because she felt like an “ugly duckling”. Her mother commissioned famous artist Alfredo Ramos Martínez to paint a portrait of her daughter to show her how beautiful she really was.

The portrait helped Dolores overcome her insecurities and she is now considered a mythical figure of American and Mexican cinema, and a quintessential representation of the female face of Mexico in the world. She was considered a female Latin Lover…here’s why…

“The most beautiful, the most gorgeous of the west, east, north and south. I’m in love with her as 40 million Mexicans and 120 million Americans who can’t be wrong”

Diego Rivera
(Left) with Orson Welles (Center) Original portrait of DDR by THE Diego Rivera and finally (Right) Diego, Frida and Dolores – Frida looks thrilled. |Photo Credits: Google Arts & Culture

In 1930, Dolores met Cedric Gibbons , artistic director of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer at a party at Hearst Castle. The couple began a brief romance that culminated in marriage months later. Dolores’s marriage to one of the most important Hollywood Hombres helped her career for a while (as the infamous “they” say).

In 1940, with her career declining, she met actor and director Orson Welles . Welles had been hot for her for several years and feeling a mutual attraction, the couple began a torrid affair, which lead to the divorce of old Cedric. For Welles, Dolores abandoned her acting career to be by his side during the filming of his masterpiece: Citizen Kane.

Later Welles went to South America, as a Goodwill Ambassador to counter the spread of communism…Buuuuut, Welles went really wild at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, like a crazy whore. Dolores then decided to dump his ass through a telegram that Orson never bothered to answer. #brutal

Then came the death of her father in México. Faced with this situation, the actress decided to cancel Hollywood altogether:

Divorced again, without the figure of my father, a movie where I hardly appeared, and another where they showed me the way of art. I wanted to follow the path of art. Stop being a star to become an actress, and that could only be achieved in Mexico. I wanted to return to Mexico, a country that was mine and that I did not know. I felt the need to return to my country …

#vivamexico

She was never nominated for an Academy Award, but on the day of her death, she received in the mail an invitation to attend the Oscars. #alittletoolittlealittletoolate Buuuuuuuut, she banged Orson Welles for 3 years…so there’s that.

Read more about Dolores del Río

Elena Poniatowska

Again with these crazy names… Hélène Elizabeth Louise Amélie Paula Dolores Poniatowska (1932-present) or Elena as we will call her, was born in Paris after her mother fled México during the Revolution. Luckily, she was born into French and Polish (distant) royalty! Sadly, the whole family had to escape back to México when Elena was ten because of the start of WWII in Europe. She never went to college, BUT is trilingual (English, French, Spanish) and a bad ass writer! Shit ain’t gonna write itself! #chinga!

She got married in 1968 and then on On October 2, 1968 she was in México City at home with her 4 month old and outside there were protests. 10,000 university and high school students were marching and protesting against México investing $150 million to bring the Olympics to the city.

There was a heavy police presence that night and helicopters circling above the crowd when a large white sheet was thrown from one of the helicopters towards a section of the crowd. The white sheet was a signal to the snipers on the rooftop to start firing where the sheet lands. That was the night of the Tlatelolco Massacre when federal snipers killed 300-400 people/presumably students in the crowd.

Elena raced to the scene and with blood on the streets she started interviewing people. Her book titled, La Noche de Tlatelolco (The Night of Tlateloco )…translated to English readers as “Massacre in México” was the only book published about this night for 20 years…contradicting the government’s account of the events and the number dead.

She did it again in 1985 after the Mexico City earthquake with Nada, Nadie, Las Voces del Temblor (Nothing, No one, Voices from the Earthquake). This book was a compilation of eyewitness accounts not only to the destruction of the earthquake, but also to the incompetence and corruption of the government afterwards. #Cabronamove

Then and now! | Photos Credit: El Claustro and Local.mx

These books cemented her as the voice for the disenfranchised people of México uncovering social and human rights atrocities against women and the poor especially. Despite the lack of opportunity for women from the 1950s to the 1970s, Elena wrote essays and articles in newspapers and magazines and books both fiction and nonfiction:

Two of her short stories were about Diego Rivera (again with that guy). The first one was Dos Veces Unica (Twice Unique) about his relationship with his first wife Lupe Marin and then Querido Diego, Te Abraza Quiela (Dearest Diego, Quiela hugs you) about his second wife, Russian painter Angelina Beloff.  Elena’s goal was to “de-iconize” him since he was so douchey to Lupe, Angelina (nicknamed Quiela)…and all of his wives. #takethatdiego

And in one of her most bad ass moves, she turned down the title of Princess of Poland that she inherited through her father’s royal family! Very Meghan Markle of her.

She is considered to be “Mexico’s grande dame of letters” and is still an active writer living in Mexico City. She was the first woman to receive the National Journalism Award and is one of the founders of La Jornada newspaper, Fem, a feminist magazine, Siglo XXI a publishing house and the Cineteca Nacional, the national film institute. For over thirty years, she has taught a weekly writing workshop, cuz girl gets shit done. SO THERE!

Read more about Elena Poniatowska

Norma Romero Vázquez, Her Cuñada and Las Patronas

Norma Romero Vázquez and her family live in the town of La Patrona, Veracruz. I didn’t know where the hell that was either, but evidently all trains from Central and South American countries eventually pass through it and specifically they pass 1/2 block away from Norma’s house.

“The Route”. All northbound routes go through their town in Veracruz. | Photo Credit: Arquitectos con la Gente

On October 8, 1994 Norma and her sister-in-law were returning from the store with food for breakfast when the train passed by slowly. The train was packed full of people migrating from the southern border of México to the US in search of the “American Dream”. These people were screaming and begging for food so Norma and her sis-in-law threw what they had just purchased to the strangers on the train. #instinctiveactofkindness That was just the beginning…

Since then, Norma, mama, sis-in-law and a group of volunteer gals prepare between 15 and 20 kilos of beans and rice and deliver about 300 daily lunches. They are now known as “Las Patronas” or the Patron Saints of Migrants. This train route has many names, Las Patronas call it “Death Train”, but most call it La Bestia (“The Beast”). It is basically a network of cargo trains that carry fuel, supplies and about 400,000 to 500,000 migrants annually up north.

When La Bestia passes, Las Patronas approach the tracks and have approximately 15 minutes to throw the bags of food they have prepared, as well as bottles of water, so that the migrants can catch the food from the moving train. After so many years, they now have sponsors and numerous donations, among them are large companies such as MASECA MEXICO and CHEDRAUI….it ain’t easy for a pinche gang of chingonas to get this type of corporate assistance!  

In 2013, Norma was awarded México’s National Human Rights Award and the Sergio Méndez Arceo National Human Rights Prize. In August 2015, Las Patronas were nominated for the Princess of Asturias Award in Spain which recognizes outstanding achievement in cultural, social and human work. They’ve also been the subject of numerous documentaries, including De nadie (2005) and Llévate mis amores (2014).

Norma and Las Patronas serving thousands on their way to the US of A. via the Train of Death| Photo Credits: Wikipedia

Read more about Las Patronas

Lydia Cacho

Lydia Cacho (1963-Alive and Hot) is described by Amnesty International as “perhaps Mexico’s most famous investigative journalist and women’s rights advocate” and her reporting focuses on violence against women and sexual abuse against women and children. She is an expert in research into gender-based violence, health, children and organized crime. She is also a renowned specialist in journalistic coverage in risky situations and survivor of police torture due to her professional work.

She’s been threatened, persecuted, kidnapped and tortured for uncovering and calling out child sex trafficking and femicide (or feminicide is a sex-based hate crime term, broadly defined as “the intentional killing of females (women or girls) because they are females). In fact her efforts resulted in Mexico’s first conviction for child pornography and sex trafficking.

Her book, The Demons of Eden: The Power that Protects Child Pornography specifically called out rich businessmen and Mexican politicians who coordinate rings to kidnap, traffic, generate child pornography and sexually abuse children. #boom

She has written 12 books in her 25+ years as a journalist, and is the most awarded Mexican journalist with 55 international medals. Newsweek and The Daily Beast consider her one of 100 women that move the world.

Lydia doin’ what she does: Busting Balls and Lookin’ good doing it! | Photos: Público.com

Main Photo Cred: Guillermo González

She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Agency on Drugs and Crime. For 25 years she has been an editor and contributor on radio and television as well as in various national and international newspapers and magazines. She is co-founder of the Network of Journalists of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. She founded the women’s care center and her victims of violence CIAM Cancun A.C., certified by the National Training Center for Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Some of my favorite quotes from this Latina Lovely are:

Prostitution is a social instrument to give pleasure to men and to subdue women.

The cost I have paid to be a good reporter and human rights defender is enormous.

Being a feminist is to accompany girls and young people, show them paths of freedom, teach them to discuss and argue their own ideas; share the secrets of how you overcome obstacles and then withdraw. Yes, let them shine with their own light, show their leadership style, see them break their teachers’ schemes. That is the true liberating feminism

#wellsaid

Read more about Lydia Cacho here…

Martha DeBayle

I would be remiss if I did not sneak in Martha Debayle.

My Mexican bestie, Julissa Garcia, would fucking kill me for not mentioning MB.  After all, it is her podcast that led me to the Wellness Clinic in Mexico City that diagnosed my hypothyroidism and gluten intolerance!

Also, Martha Debayle is hot and a powerhouse broad known to women and men all over Mexico.  She talks about girly things, sexy things, motherhood things, womanhood things, you get it.  Everyone who listens to her loves her.  

Martha Debayle: Power Boss & Podcaster | Photo Cred: Encacha.mx

Buuuuuuuuut, as Julissa says, Martha was born in Nicaragua and raised in Long Island, NY before being brought to Mexico City at the age of 12.  She has a great voice and is bilingual which has led to her amazing radio, podcast and TV presenting career.  Buuuuuuuut, that does not make her chingona…it makes her talented, smart and hot.  Please take note that I mentioned her.  My thyroid and I thank you.

THE END

So there you have it. Are these chingonas bad ass or what?! Thank you for reading and agreeing.

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Pasta Tiles Handmade in Mérida Yucatán México

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Hand made pasta tiles with Allison Nevins of TexMex Fun Stuff.

Follow me to the most famous pasta tile factory in México. Mosaicos La Peninsular – Beautiful European imports which became a Yucatecan tradition. These hand made pasta tiles are now made in Mérida, Yucatán, México.

Pasta Tiles hand made at Mosaicos la Peninsular.
The Man, The Myth…Ignacio Durán. Owner and Boss Man of Tile! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Quick History of Mosaic Tiles or Spanish Tiles or “Pasta” Tiles in the Yucatan Peninsula:  These tiles were originally made in Barcelona, Spain and used by architects such as Antoni Gaudi as early as 1857.  We couldn’t find any mention as to if they were made exactly the same way there and then as they are here in Mérida today…But, today’s pasta tiles are essentially 3 levels of cement that have been turned into individual works of art! 

Long story short, as early as the 1600’s, the Spaniards realized that they wanted to bring back home all of the great shit that México has to offer…aka…chocolate, coffee, gold, silver and most importantly at the time…henequin.  We’ll cover henequin in another video/blog post. #promisespromises

Making Handmade Pasta Tiles (Mérida Yucatán México | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

So on their way to México (when they more or less owned it) the Spanish loaded their ships full of these pasta tiles as ballasts – literally to balance the otherwise empty boats to fill with New World treasures. They landed in the ports of Yúcatan, Campeche and Veracruz…then proceeded to dump all of the tiles out upon arrival. Then they filled the ships up with their Mexican treasures and back off to Spain they went.

Obviously, this left a lot of random tile laying around the peninsula, so people started collecting them and using them for flooring in their houses…and of course as sexy kitchen backsplashes and wall décor around their pools… Just Kidding. 

SO Many Decorative Uses! Gracias to Hotel Luz En Yucatan and El Palacito Secreto! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Essentially, these tiles started as free imports here.  But then about a 100 years ago, factories started popping up in the Yúcatan to make tiles to order for haciendas, businesses and regular casas alike.  The good homeowners and business property folks realized that these tiles are cost effective, easy to maintain, beautiful and durable all at once.  Plus, they really do stay cool and it gets hot as balls here. 

Then China came up with less expensive ceramic tiles and introduced them to México and the world market.  At that point the 7 or so factories in Mérida that had been producing these high quality tiles couldn’t compete and shut down.   All but one… Mosaicos La Peninsular. 

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Ignacio and the gang endured the “ceramic tile storm” and thank God (!) because they alone kept this home decoration and flooring tradition alive. Plus, mosaic tiles last a minimum of 50 years and up to 100.  Ceramic tile lasts around 7-10 years. #worthityo

He was commissioned to design the flooring for the Famous El Gran Museo del Mundo Maya in Mérida. This is a sexy honor, but we can tell Ignacio is WAY prouder of being featured in the Tacombi Mexican Restaurant in the Empire State Building!

Ignacio simply BEAMS with pride when he talks about how his tile is in the Empire State Building! | Photo: La Magia de los Mosaicos Yucatecos

Ignacio says that he doesn’t let just anyone into the factory, but I batted my eyes like a gringa flirt and got my way! First stop on the tour is the cement separation station. These dudes are literally not wearing shoes and standing in a pit of thick sand. Then by hand, they shovel the material up and throw it through a sifter. This is an important step because they end up garnering two levels of cement that helps build the necessary layers of the tiles.

How to make pasta tiles.
Seeing Production!!!! Behind Door #1 is the separation of the cement. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

The particles that fall through the strainer are used for one level of tile and the thick stuff that doesn’t make it through gets used as the bottom of tile. NOW we take the separated material to the artists!

This guy below is called a Ladrillero – that’s Spanish for “Brick Maker”. The Ladrilleros start with a decorative mold and they mix very fine dry cement with color and fill in the little sections within the mold with a scooper thing.  Afterwards, they sprinkle fine dry cement on top.  THEN they fill in the rest of the space with a thicker, damp and chunky cement mixture…

After the Ladrillero cleans up the mold, he just sticks it in a hydraulic press and literally presses it for 5 seconds.  Ignacio is actually a mechanical engineer by trade, so I think that’s where the hydraulic press comes into play. This compression adds to the longterm durability of the tiles.

A Ladrillero doin’ his thang! First the paint mix, then the fine dry cement level and then the thicker base level. Press and be Impressed! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Anyhoo, the ladrillero removes the mold from the press, releases the ‘brick’ from the mold, flips it over and voila!  A 100% handmade piece of beauty is on the back side! Since all of this is done by hand, a ladrillero can make from 80-130 tiles per day.

Ignacio has a mold for every style: 1800-1900’s Hacienda Old World classics, Art Deco, Traditional Mayan embroidery looks, you name it.  As you can imagine, the more complicated a pattern and the number of colors per piece determine the length of time it takes to make each one, but after that process is complete…the tiles simply dry.  No baking of any kind.  They simply dry out for 8 days.

Molds for every style! Pic 2 is the warehouse where made to order tiles are drying out until they are ready to ship… | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

When the tiles are installed in their final resting place as flooring – a polisher shows up to buff and shine them with a polish.  This polishing brightens up the colors and the tiles really become their best selves. Smooth to the touch, shiny and slippery when wet…but excellent to dance on!

When our tour was over, Ignacio gave me a fabulous and unexpected gift…the literal book on the subject…’La Magia de los Mosaicos Yucatecos’. A real treat!

THE BOOK! Forgive the Starbucks…It WAS early on a Monday morning after all! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

For those of you who want to score this gem, it’s all in Spanish. The main gist is the history of bringing the tiles from Spain, the rise of factories like Ignacio’s in the early 1900’s and then their decline. It really drives home the value the tiles bring through design, durability, aesthetics, cost and ease of maintenance. I will have a discussion with Ignacio about making this book available to purchase! #promisespromises

IN THE MEANTIME…check out all of what Mosaicos La Peninsular has to offer on their English and Spanish website Mosaicos La Peninsular! Gracias and thanks for watching and reading and get ready for more to come!

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Who Knew “God’s Eye” Was So Sexy? The Huichols Did, That’s Who!

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Kids constructing the Huichol's ojo de Dios from popsicle sticks.

Y’all probably know that I am a big fan of Mexican Pueblos Magicos and of Papel Picado. The one town that puts these together well is Sayulita, Nayarit just north of Puerto Vallarta on México’s Pacific coast. In fact, Sayulita is most known for its rainbow rows of papel picado. So much so, that locals call the main avenue “Selfie Street” because so many touritsts ‘selfie’ themselves under the never ending rows of the colorful flags that line the main drag.

I still haven’t gotten to the bottom of why Sayulita digs papel picado as much as I do, but recently the town has taken on a new project that caught my eye…In addition to lining the streets with waves of papel picado they have added a massive amount of Ojos de Dios to color their sky! “WTF are Ojos de Dios?” you ask! Welllllllll…

Gracias and Thanks to Sayulita Luxury Transportation for this combo shot of papel picado and Ojos de Dios! This is “Selfie Street”

Once upon a time in a land far, far, OK fine, right up the street from us…Huichol Indians lived in peace and harmony. The Huichol (pronounced: hwee-chol) are a tribe of Native Mexicans that descended from the Aztecs in the western/central part of México. A small (20,000), but still strong tribe, the Huichol primarily hang out in the Sierra Madre mountains within the neighboring states of Jalisco (home to Puerto Vallarta) and Nayarit (home to Sayulita). Rumor has it they fled to the mountains to escape the Spanish Conquest carnage and some still live very isolated lives in the mountains of Zacatecas and Durango. #social distancing

?? Shop for Papel Picado at TexMex Fun Stuff on Amazon ??

Anyhoo, when the Spaniards came to conquer México’s land, indigenous folks and generally cause a big shit show, they couldn’t properly pronounce this tribe’s given name. Shocker. The tribe name was actually ‘Wixaritari’ which means ‘healer’ in their original language, sooooo they shortened it to Huichol. Not really Spanish, but a little easier to say.

Same street in Sayulita, just from a different view. #papelpicado #ojodedios | Photo: Sayulita Life

This tribe is known for 3 things: peyote, bead weaving and Ojos de Dios. Peyote sorta goes without saying….it’s basically trippy shit from a hallucinogenic cactus. The intricate bead work is a blog post for another time because it’s sexy as hell.

Ojos de Dios are decorations that hang from windows, trees and signs across México. They are commonly referred to as ‘Mexican Mandalas’ and are similar to Tibetan Mandalas because these colorful ‘sticks and yarn combos’ symbolize the Eye of God in both groups.

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The Huichol believe that these more or less ‘religious instruments’ protect their young. In fact, it is tradition that when a baby is born, the father begins weaving the first layer of that child’s Eye of God by winding colorful yarn around a simple wooden cross to figuratively tie together all of the earth’s elements (land, air, fire, water) and directions (north, east, south, west) so that the newborn will be protected in all ways by all the Huichol gods. Got it? It’s a sweeter gesture than giving a baby a shitload of diapers at a baby shower…

Ojos de Dios can be made as simply as like when we had arts and crafts time with yarn and popsicle sticks! | Photo: Mandalas Web

Each year the father weaves an additional layer of the Eye/Ojo on the child’s birthday and provides the completed Eye/Ojo to the child upon their 5th birthday. This is a big time Rite of Passage for Huichol children. It basically means they are on their own…well, not that dramatic…but these dudes believe that after the age of 5, the child is no longer under the protection of the father, but of God(s).

This gang really embraces nature/earth/multiple gods and the like. And the number 5 holds a massive significance to them. For example: There are 5 points on their map, 5 colors of corn, 5 colors of peyote, 5 colors are used in each Eye/Ojo and there are 5 rain gods. Let’s face it, the Huichol really like the number 5! #cinco

Ojo de Dios hanging at the beach. | Photo: Mandalas Web

At the age of 5, the child throws his or her Eye of God into the sea as a sacrifice to the gods and as a “Gracias!” for their protection. This also signifies that the child is now old enough to protect him or herself. The age of 5 seems a bit young to “Let the damn kid roll on his own!”, BUT the Huichol usually marry between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, so there’s not a lot of time to be on their own anyway.

BTW, marriages are arranged by the parents when the children are very young. I’m guessing age 5? #damnthatsyoung

?? Create Your Own Ojo de Dios With This 36 Pack Craft Kit ??

The Ojo de Dios symbolizes the ability to see and understand unseen things, focusing their worship on nature and the earth.

Faith Lopez, Visual Arts & Ojo De Dios Mandala Workshops

As with all ceremonial items made by the Huichols, colors are important and each is identified with a particular god or sacred object. The original 5 colors in each Eye of God/Ojo de Dios are blue, black, white, red and purple…

Blue represents the sacred lagoon of Chapala and Rapawiyene, the god of rain and water. Maybe I should have had more respect for Rapawiyene when I danced like a crazy women on Lake Chapala in Jalisco. Ayayay. #notproud

Yep. Not proud. On the Malécon on Lake Chapala| Video: TexMex Fun Stuff

Black represents the Pacific ocean…which makes sense because Jalisco and Nayarit are both on the Pacific. It also represents Tatei Armana, the Mother of the Sea. And finally it represents (rather counterintuitively) life. Seems like a lot to represent, but hey. #dontjackwithblack

White represents the wind and clouds, but on the downside it can also be associated with death (again, super counterintuitive).

Red represents Parietekúa, which is the peyote god. I’ve never smoked peyote and that is probably one of my few good life decisions.

A “Mandala” version of an Ojo de Dios – set on a mountain to bless the people below. | Photo: Recognizing México

Purple is all encompassing and represents the Huichol as a society. Lots of Ojos de Dios have other colors obviously, but these 5 are of particular importance to the Huichol. Everything else is just pretty.

Tradition has evolved enough for this art form to become a money maker.?? Huichols now make Ojo de Dios patterns into earrings, wall hangings and ornaments which are both pretty and thought to bring protection against evil, danger or disease. Hey, might as well make some cash as you spread color and joy. And there is A LOT of color and joy in Sayulita! ? ?

One of the main streets in Sayulita, Nayarit – how cool is this?!?! | Photo: Casa Vecino Sayulita

According to a local Spanish newspaper, educational campuses, senior groups, independent artists, shops, and associations from Sayulita decided to showcase this marvelous art form all over the town in honor of the 9th Annual Dia de los Muertos celebration. All of these groups participated in setting up altars for Dia De Muertos and participated in the design, creation and placement of more than 16,000 “Eyes of God”. All of this was to get Ojo de Dios into the Guinness Book of World Record in late 2019! #failuretolaunch #yesImserious

Sweet ass night shot from the Dia de Los Muertos Festival in Sayulita | Photo: Mexico News On Line

I mean, seriously! There were 16,000 of them and they didn’t score?! #chinga #timeforresearch

So I went to the Guinness Book website to see if this had ever been attempted before and there is no record currently set. Based on the submission rules, it is probable (but not confirmed) that they submitted the paperwork too late to get in for the 2019 edition. Which is to say that if you submit paperwork “in time” the registration is free. I’m guessing they didn’t have enough funds for late submission. But still, all 16,000 were done by the hands of the Sayulitans – pretty impressive! #2020?

More OdD Beauties found in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Nevertheless, the good people of Sayulita gave it the old college try and will hopefully have the opportunity to try again during the upcoming Day of the Dead festivities. May 2020 be the year that Sayulita and Ojo de Dios go down in the record books! Because 2020 owes us something, goddamnit! #freaking2020

By the way, we don’t sell these, but here is the place you can score 1 or 16,000: Etsy

Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!

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My Story / The Actual History of Papel Picado Flags

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Papel picado punched paper in Tlaquepaque Jalisco with Allison Nevins.

So you’ve seen the movie “Coco” from Pixar, right? Aren’t the scenes of Miguel’s village and then the Xanadu afterlife city the most visually stunning destinations you have ever seen? Me too!

You may or may not have noticed that a majority of the color you see in every scene is due to the placement of those colorful banners that wave all over both magical places.

Miguel from Coco loves papel picado.
Miguel and Hector in Xanadu and then Miguel with the clan in Santa Cecilia, Mexico | Photo: Pixar

Welp, actually México is just like that. Color pouring from the sky everywhere.

Coco inspired punched paper.
Coco-themed banners adorning our favorite restaurant in Puebla! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

My hunt for these magical, colorful Papel Picado flags has taken me from enormous Mexican mercados to tiny little villages and what I’ve found is not only excellent products to export to the US and Europe, but also a tradition steeped in history and artistry, one precise hammer stroke at a time.

Here is the play by play of my quest for the birthplace of Papel Picado and the man with original birthrights to make it, otherwise known as the ‘Robin Hood’ of his town…

One year ago, I was in search of a pueblo called San Salvador Huixcolotla, which is known as the “Cradle of Punched Paper” and is the birthplace of Papel Picado flags. These colorful banners have been a part of every Mexican celebration for decades and are a symbol of México’s handmade craftsmanship at its finest.

Any birthday party, wedding or holiday gathering in México doesn’t get started until the Papel Picado is carefully strung from the rafters and roofs to welcome the party goers and to warn the neighbors that shit is about to get cray cray.

Papel picado punched paper in a cantina.
Traditional flags hanging from the ceiling of a cantina | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

My Story:

I found myself driving on a razor thin 2-lane road somewhere in the State of Puebla in Central México when I see in the distance a man standing in the middle of the broken pavement frantically waving a red bandana above his head. To my left was the majestic ice capped Orizaba Volcano, to my right were 3 dogs running beside my car and in front of me I had no idea, so I slowed.

The man strategically positioned in the middle of the road was actually directing traffic over a shitty one-lane bridge that I was about to cross. Evidently, when the state government of Puebla made this road they didn’t think it was important enough to spend the money on a two lane bridge. Why would they?

This bandana-waving fella’s job was to stop cars on one side of the bridge to allow cars coming from the other side to pass. I tipped him a few pesos for helping me avoid a head-on collision and was over the bridge and on my way to the worldwide mecca of Papel Picado. Yay!!

I had found the heartbeat of Papel Picado, now I was off to find Robin Hood.

Papel picado in a restaurant in Puebla city.
Typical flag placement in a restaurant celebrating Constitution Day in México | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

That sounded dramatic, right?! OK, truth be told, I already knew who he was. We had met several times at conventions in Guadalajara and now WhatsApp pretty frequently regarding my orders and re-orders, but I had no idea at this moment in time that my mind was about to get blown.

Stories sound better when there is more mysticism and general awe-factor, don’t you think? Anyhoo, we’ll just call our Robin Hood friend, “Max”.

Max insisted on meeting me at the outskirts of his village at a point immediately after the scary-ass mini-bridge so that I could follow him in his unnecessarily large truck to his “taller” (workshop). The whole point of following him versus just giving me directions or dropping a location pin (nope, Google Maps and Waze haven’t figured this area out yet) is because there are no street signs. At all. In the entire village.

We were too busy looking up to see street signs anyway! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Once I entered San Salvador Huixcolotla, it was clear that this was indeed the epicenter of these magical banners. Everywhere I turned, I was shaded by fluttering clouds of color.

Every street was magically draped with these intricate banners depicting all aspects of Mexican life ranging from Dia de Los Muertos to the Virgin of Guadalupe. Basically, like the Xanadu afterlife city in “Coco”.

Coco inspired pink papel picado.
Max’s brother showing off a papel picado placemat that someone had special ordered. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Actual History:

By the way, according to Wikipedia…The Ministry of Tourism and Culture in Mexico officially recognizes and supports the art of Papel Picado. And in 1998, the governor of the state of Puebla decreed that the style of Papel Picado produced in San Salvador Huixcolota is part of the ‘Cultural Heritage of the State of Puebla’ (Patrimonio Cultural del Estado de Puebla). How ’bout that!?!

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I followed Max in my Nissan Murano, which thank God has kick ass shocks, all the way to Max’s taller. His workshop is in the middle of town in a compound which includes his home (which he shares with his wife and son) and other buildings, bodegas and houses in which his brothers, cousins, nephews, nieces/employees also live and work. Chickens, dogs, kids and a cat run around this compound constantly.

I don’t know how any work gets done, but delicious chicken mole and beautiful Papel Picado are made here. If you ever get the chance to taste Max’s wife’s homemade mole – you should really go for it. I digress.

Papel picado Robin Hood of his town.
Max, himself. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

So anyway, Max is showing me around and introducing me to his family/employees and he casually mentions that his great-grandfather is the originator of Mexican Papel Picado. Max speaks no English and my Spanish is barely passable, but I got the jist…His great grandfather was Aztec and Spanish, but he learned this craft from a Chinese friend. Chinese invented super fine paper. They are especially known for creating “Chinese Paper” or as we call it in North America, tissue paper.

Allison Nevins learning the are of papel picado.
Max’s cousin and Me with a chisel…always a BAD idea. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Welp, Papel Picado is basically perforated tissue paper. The designs are commonly cut into colored tissue paper using a stencil or template and small mallets or chisels. Depending on the fold of the paper and the skill level of the chiseler, as many as fifty banners can be created at a time. Check out this video to see what I mean…

Evidently local hacienda owners would import this paper from China and sell it at their hacienda stores – this Chinese friend bought some and showed Max’s great granddad how the Chinese make cutouts and use the designed paper as flags to decorate homes or towns for parties and festivals.

Well great-grandad thought, “Mexicans love parties and festivals…this could work!”

?? Shop for Papel Picado on Amazon ??

As many traditions continue through generations of families, Max’s grandfather and father learned the trade and eventually Max was trained and inherited the family company. He employs all of his extended family and most of the town.

The bigger an order he receives, the more neighbors he contracts to get the job done. He says that in the 4th quarter of every year, the entire town is working for him in some capacity, hence the Robin Hood legacy. He is San Salvador Huixcolota’s biggest employer.

Papel picado tools used by the artist to make punched paper.
Max’s other brother demonstrating how he chooses which chisel to use for which shape he is cutting. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Every day, he and his brother drive the completed work of the day before into the city of Puebla to ship off the goods. One hour in each direction and 2 tips for the bandana bridge guy. Every day.

Allison Nevins shopping for the best papel picado in Mexico.
Future Best Sellers? | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Max tells me that tissue paper banners are the best sellers of his banner catalog, but plastic is growing in popularity as outdoor fiestas are quite popular too.

Shiny Mylar Day of the Dead Vertical Flags | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

A few years ago he also started using mylar for a foil-like effect for customers who wanted banners with shine. Obviously plastic and mylar are more durable than the delicate tissue paper counterparts, but Max’s fam prefers to work with the traditional paper. Old dogs, new tricks.

So after 3 hours of demonstrating, picture taking and mole eating it was time to get out of San Sal. I placed a huge order, paid Max in cash for the goods I was taking back to Puebla with me and hit the road. Following Max in his unnecessarily large truck of course, because when there are no street signs AND its dark, navigation gets tricky. Luckily, the bandana guy was still on the tiny bridge and he waved me back to town. That was worth the $3 USD tip!

Experience México every day with this Coco Inspired Papel Picado! Buy Yours Here.

Papel picado hand made in Mexico inspired by Coco the movie.

Shop the TexMex Fun Stuff Papel Picado Collection

Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!

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5 Fun Historical Stories About Piñatas!

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Paper-mache hand-made bull pinata and a mexican sombrero.

Piñatas have a rich history in México and are typically considered by “gringos” as fixtures of Cinco de Mayo and Mexican-themed birthday parties. You know the parties…where blindfolded kids swing a stick or a bat at a hanging piñata while the drunk uncle pulls the rope?! Everyone has that “Tio CrayCray” who makes the piñata wildly swing up-and-down, making the kids swing and miss as the crowd laughs and spills their boozy treats.

Me playing the part of the ‘Drunk Uncle’ | Photo: Armando HDZ Fotografia

I fully support this kind of party and drunk uncles, but there’s a lot more that goes into the history and artistry of piñatas than that.

Here are 5 things that I’ve learned and love about piñatas while traveling through México in search of the artists behind these works of art:

1. Piñatas were not born in Mexico-“No nacieron en México!”

A very sad bull learning at this very moment that he was in fact NOT born in México. Pobrecito.

Piñatas were originally created out of paper-mâché, pottery or cloth in China for the New Year. They were shaped like bulls or ox, decorated with colors representing the 4 seasons and filled with seeds. Then farmers would whack the crap out of said colorful container on NYE, busting the seeds all over for favorable growing seasons in the New Year.

The remnants of the battered piñatas were gathered and burned and the ashes were collected and kept for good luck throughout the year.

2. Marco Polo introduced piñatas to Italy – “¿Mande?”

Chinese animal pinatas made of paper mache in a market.
Donkey piñatas givin’ the “crazy eye”

It is believed that when Marco Polo (yes, THE Marco Polo) visited China in the 13th century, he saw the colorful clay pots wrapped in paper with figures of Chinese bulls and other animals filled with seeds and liked the idea of it all. Our hombre, Marco then brought these containers of seeds and goodness to Italy, where they were named ‘pignattas’ or “cooking pots”.

The Spaniards (being big ol’ copy cats) took the tradition for themselves in a religious capacity by adding piñatas as a new Christian tradition during the season of Lent. Then they crossed the big blue sea to Mexico where they forced a whole array of traditions like piñatas upon the indigenous folks.

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In Central Mexico where the Aztecs lived and had a strangely similar piñata situation of their own, piñata-making really took hold as an art and a way to making a creative living. Pueblo Acolman is a town in the northern part of Mexico State that claims to be the origin or the “cradle” of piñatas as they have been a tradition there for over 420 years.

Both kinds of piñatas, those made with clay pots and those made entirely of paper are still made there. The pueblo of Acolman also claims to be the origin of the Las Posadas tradition in Mexico…we’ll get to that another time.

3. The Traditional Mexican Piñata Represents the “Struggle with Temptation” = “Ayayay Pecados!”

7 Sins, 7 Points. Get it? Count ’em: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy & Pride – Tempted? Yo tambien!

So one of the changes the Spanish made to incorporate piñatas into their season of Lent was to shape them like stars instead of livestock. Stars represent many things in the bible, but the Spanish specifically made their star piñatas with seven points to represent the 7 Deadly Sins.

The severe beating of one of these star shaped thingydoodles is the literal “Struggle with Temptation”. Or as I like to call it, a typical Saturday night. The blindfolded participant who attempts to beat the piñata represents “Faith” (because faith is blind). The piñata represents Evil or “Satan” who wears beautiful, bright colors to lure unsuspecting (and otherwise non-sinners) to touch said temptations.

If the God-fearing people touch the piñata, then they have fallen into temptation. It’s that easy – just ask Eve or my Mom. My Mom is a minister. Different blog post entirely.

In Mexico, traditional seven point piñatas are typically beaten to oblivion night after night (a new one each night, of course) during the 9 day period leading up to Christmas, which is better known as Las Posadas. Don’t worry, they get beaten after Christmas too. And especially on New Years Eve. In fact, all the way up to January 6th for Three Kings Day (aka Epiphany). Again, a whole other post…One my mom will let me tell!

4. Millennials and Hipsters Have Fallen in Love with Piñatas!  “Si, claro!”

The Happy Couple: Eduardo and Julie Sobrino, Merida YUC | Photo: Armando HDZ Fotografia

In the past 3 years, piñatas have officially gone main-stream with millennials all over the world at weddings, baby showers, cantina crawls, birthdays and bachelorette parties. God bless the youngsters.

Now that piñatas don’t have to represent farmers’ wishes for good crops or Christians’ wishes to battle their demons, we can have a lot more fun with them. Hence the new variety of piñata shapes and occasions to fill, beat, enjoy, repeat. How many politicians, Marvel comics and Disney characters as piñatas have you seen on Amazon lately…#amIright?!

Take this hipster-ific couple in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico (above) who had piñatas crafted to resemble each other for their rehearsal dinner. The highlight of the evening for us friends and family was watching them beat the shit out of each other’s piñata. Then the ring bearer and flower girls attacked the candy and everyone won! Because that’s love. “Eso el amor!” We cheered on the destruction and forgot the entire point of the wedding.

5. Mexican Piñatas are Still Handmade  – “Probablemente no en China…”

Hand-made star pinata held by the artist.
Piñata Artist showcasing his XXL craft in Puebla Mexico. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Tassels aren’t just for strippers. You heard it here first.

Whether a piñata is made from the early traditional paper mâché variety or from tissue paper, cardboard and tassels, they are never machine-made. Piñata making is an art form in México where entire villages are trained to craft all kinds of shapes, sizes and styles to meet every celebratory need.

Mad at Trump? Someone can make you a Trump piñata! Divorce party? An ex-spouse look-alike can be made by hand! Usually though, they are shaped like animals for kids’ birthday parties or the 7 pointed stars to cover the whole holiday season. Either way, they are made BY HAND by real artistic humans who take this art very seriously…so don’t piss them off. Just kidding. But seriously, don’t.

Experience México everyday with this handmade, super tassel-y star piñata!

Colorful Fun Fiesta Party Piñata

TexMex Fun Stuff™ Star Piñata ranked in ‘The Best 10 Piñatas’ by our amigos at Wiki.ezvid.com

Are you throwing a Mexican fiesta? Don’t miss out on our collection of papel picado. Coco inspired, Lucha Libre and Day of the Dead papel picado banners are big strands of fun!!

Shop the TexMex Fun Stuff Papel Picado Collection

Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!

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Funny S#*t You See In Mexico

My Lucha Libre Experience – Laughing, Crying and Screaming

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S#*t You See in México

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A guy and his dog riding a scooter in Roma Norte, Mexico City.

So I have been buying and selling fun stuff in/from México for years. I have seen a lot of this country looking for treasures that I think others will enjoy owning.

Along the way I have been entertained by sights and sounds from almost daily parades to almost nightly celebrations and my husband, Todd said that I should really be documenting this for my friends, fans and customers.

Basically, he forced me to start a blog. This is said blog. I hope it doesn’t suck. The plan is to show you all the funny shit I see and maybe educate a little in the quest to entertain a lot. Let’s start slow with a few pix of shit that have made me laugh pretty hard. We’ll get all educationally later.

Seriously, only in this freakin’ country can you get glimpses of this kind of greatness….

Merida, Yucatan
A Bride Climbing a Bar to get the Good Rum! | Photo: Del Angel Photography
Tequila, Jalisco.
There are 6 dudes up there “May poling”. This deserves its own blog post. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
México City, State of México
Some awesomeness doesn’t even require a caption. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Awesome taco joint …#Goes without saying. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Mexico City
Grease is the Word. Or Vaselina, either way. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California
Beach vendor selling Lucha Libre masks. Because that’s what sun bathers want more than anything at the beach.

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Merida, Yucatan
“It’s all ball bearings these days!” Fixing a bus engine sucks, especially in sandals and traffic. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Oooh damn! That’s a lotta Jesus! Everything your nativity scene needed then, NOW ON SALE post-Christmas in El Mercado. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
“Dock that Oaxacan a day’s pay for nappin’ on the job!” | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Teeny tiny town outside of Oaxaca, Oaxaca
A bull and cow parade. Because it’s Tuesday, that’s why! | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Hacienda Santa Rosa, Yucatan
Yep, those are real. Most folks can only afford to bury their loved ones in a grave for 1 year, then they give up the space for someone else’s body. The bones of the recently removed get put into boxes for a more “economical” afterlife. |
Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff
Merida, Yucatan
They’ll let any gringo bozo into a bar. | Photo: TexMex Fun Stuff

Well that’s all for now. There will probably be a sequel of funny shit I see in Mexico, in fact it’s inevitable. But for now, it’s time to work!

Are you looking for more inspiration from México? Check out the TexMex Fun Stuff Blog for more sights, sounds and badass-ness uncovered while exploring México searching for handmade fun stuff for you!

Related Posts

5 Fun Historical Stories About Piñatas

My Story / The Actual History of Papel Picado Flags

My Lucha Libre Experience – Laughing, Crying and Screaming

?? Shop the TexMex Fun Stuff online storefront on Amazon!  ??