Weaving demonstration at annual sale
Mark your calendar for January 27, 10am-4pm for the annual Women’s Weaving Cooperative sale. With each purchase you’ll be helping preserve an ancient tradition. Proceeds from every purchase go to support the Tixinda Cooperative, a group of women weavers of Pinotepa de Don Luis, a community high in the mountains above Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Shopping at annual Weaving Sale
The women are masters in the ancient art of using backstrap looms to weave colourful huipils (tunic dresses), bed linens, table cloths and smaller items such as wallets, purses and pillows. The dyes are all-natural and quite rare. Cochinilla, a red dye is created from crushed beetles while Tixinda, the sacred purple dye is “milked” from a rare Purpura sea snail found in a remote bay between Huatulco and Puerto Escondido. It can take the milk from 1000 snails to dye one reboso (shawl).
Patrice Perillo hosts this annual event, an important source of revenue for the cooperative
A few years ago, I participated in a journey to the bay where I had the opportunity to watch the men of the village harvest the snail dye. I was struck by the care they took with the snail and not damage it, thus preserving the tradition for future generations.
Habacuc harvests Purpura snail dye using traditional techniques.
The annual sale is held each January at the Dreamweavers Hall near La Punta. Admission is free. The sale is located at Casa Tejesuenos on Carr. Costera 50 m. after Policia Federal in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico. Follow the signs!
This post is part of Travel Bloggers Give Back, a worldwide network of travel bloggers using their blogs to make a difference.
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ed wetschler I've done this, too -- the Windward Islands c
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esperanza What a beautiful ship and so handy to get to the b
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Lesley Peterson What a gorgeous beach! And so true about not wanti
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Michele Thanks for your comment Marian! And I'm defin
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Marian Krueger Love St. Kitts! Thanks for sharing as I definitel
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In 2003, I left the corporate world to try my hand at travel writing. Now, I travel the world, writing about people, places and cuisine. My writing has appeared in over 100 publications and anthologies. 
Thanks for a great post! Habacuc will be back to share with us the perilous state of the almost extinct purple dye. Our special guest this year is Irene Aguilar, a Grand Master of Oaxacan Folk Art from Ocotlan. She’ll be selling her signed ceramic figurines this year! Also back with us is Abigail Mendoza, the master bag weaver from Santo Tomas Jaliezo. For the first time, we will be featuring traditional food for sale from Pinotepa de Don Luis and a local musician from this town. We’re trying to share as much of their unique culture with the Puerto community. It should be a great year!
How interesting to read of the authentic dyes used by the artisans in making those lovely weavings. Am certainly interested in supporting this most worthy venture
How vibrant the colours are! I had no idea the dyes were naturally sourced.
Lesley Peterson recently posted..ArtSmart Roundtable: Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto
Hello!
I would like to know if it is possible to buy either whole cloth pieces dyed with Purpura snail or only the yarn.
I also dye with European purple snails like Hexaplex trunculus and Bolinus brandaris and I am looking for samples from Purpura pansa to complete my purple-dyes-collection. Thanks for replying me.
Your collections sounds fascinating! I’ll check with the weaving cooperative and get back to you with some details options or what might be available.