Oaxaca Folk
Overview of Barro Negro (Black Pottery) of San Bartolo Coyotepec, Oaxaca: Decorative Folk Art Form Development
The plastics revolution of the 1960s had a profound impact on the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca. Throughout the decade, a dramatic change occurred in the means of production employed by a segment of the indigenous Zapotec population: an industry based upon rudimentary production of grey, functional pottery transformed into the folk art now known as barro negro, or Oaxacan black pottery. As a consequence, tourism to Oaxaca blossomed.
Until the 1960s, all but one family in the village of San Bartolo Coyotepec, a few kilometers from the state capital of Oaxaca de Juárez, were producing utilitarian clay pots for sale and trade throughout the region and further beyond … just as their ancestors had been doing for a thousand years or more. Indeed, the archaeological record as unearthed during the excavation of Monte Albán lays testament.
The History of Barro Negro (black pottery) in Oaxaca
The most common pottery form in the area, known as the cántaro, had been used for carrying and storing water, mezcal, milk and other liquids, for generations. Then in the early 1950s, a humble, personable woman named Doña Rosa Real, together with her husband Juventino Nieto, by chance developed an innovation to its appearance and functionality; if the pot, before firing, was rubbed with a piece of clear quartz, and then baked for only eight or nine hours rather than the traditional 13 or 14 hours, the result would be a shiny, black cántaro, purely decorative and unable to retain liquids without discoloration and filtration.
Between the 1950s and the early 1960s, everyone else in the village continued to produce their grey functional pottery, while Doña Rosa and family toiled away with what became known as barro negro (black pottery). She developed a following of foreigners who collected Latin American folk art, including the likes of Nelson Rockefeller.
The Impact of Plastic on Pottery Production in San Bartolo Coyotepec
At the same time as Dustin Hoffman’s character in The Graduate was being extolled the importance of “plastics,” the people of San Bartolo Coyotepec were beginning to feel the adverse economic impact of those same plastic bowls and bottles. These new containers were colorful, break resistant, and cheap. The market fell out of the traditional cántaro industry. Doña Rosa’s family thrived, because at the same time, tourism was increasing due to:
- more two income families
- credit cards being mailed out to even Bar Mitzvah aged children making it easier to fly now and pay later
- hotels, travel agencies and Mexicana Airlines having created a new concept in travel to Mexico, the vacation package
- improvements to the new Pan American highway system enabling travelers to more easily reach Oaxaca, and
- the hippie movement taking notice of southern Mexico as a result of Oaxaca’s new-found notoriety as the hallucinogenic mushroom capital of the world.
With the foregoing changes in the Western World, more travelers began to travel to Oaxaca and visit San Bartolo Coyotepec. The market for barro negro thereby increased substantially. Virtually every potter in the village began burnishing his pieces with quartz, and removing them from the kiln “prematurely,” out of economic necessity and a burgeoning tourist market.
Increased tourism meant that even with other villagers copying Doña Rosa’s technique, the economic fortunes of her family were not significantly adversely impacted. On the contrary, some 30+ years after Doña Rosa’s death, her family still retains a healthy market share of tourist dollars spent on barro negro.
Black Pottery, San Bartolo Coyotepec, and the Family of Doña Rosa in Modern Times
Now, nary a piece of grey, functional pottery is produced in San Bartolo Coyotepec, although there remains a very small niche market. Many craftspeople in the village do barro negro demonstrations. Some artisans such as Carlomagno Pedro Martínez and his family have elevated the art form to new heights.
Until his death in May, 2010, on a daily basis Don Valente, the son of Doña Rosa and Don Juventino, would recount the fascinating story of his parents and their innovation, while working his magic not with an electric wheel, or even a foot pedal, but rather with only two clay plates, his well-kneaded buttery clay, the most rudimentary of tools – pieces river reed and gourd, a swatch of bull hide – and the most deft of hands.
Today, three of Doña Rosa’s grandchildren, Jorge, Javier and Fernando, and their sister-in-law Rocio, keep the family tradition alive, telling the tale of their grandmother.
Indeed it’s no wonder that the walls of the workshop and gallery are adorned with photos of Doña Rosa with Rockefeller, and Don Valente alongside the likes of Jimmy Carter, an array of Mexican entertainment industry stars, prominent politicians including governors and presidents, and yes, even The Pope.
About the Author
Alvin Starkman is a resident of Oaxaca, and together with wife Arlene operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed & Breakfast, a unique b & b experience just outside downtown Oaxaca (http://www.oaxacadream.com). Alvin has written over 200 articles about life and culture in Oaxaca, consults for documentary production companies filming in Oaxaca, takes couples and families to visit the sights in Oaxaca’s central valleys, and assists groups interested in learning about the food and drink of Oaxaca through organizing Oaxaca culinary tours (http://www.oaxacaculinarytours.com).
Extraordinary Folk Art From Oaxaca, Mexico
|
|
Josefina Aguilar Oaxaca Mexican Folk Art Clay Figurine $19.95 |
|
|
Josefina Aguilar Oaxaca Mexican Folk Art Clay Figurine $24.99 |
|
|
Oaxacan PET DOG Carving Mexican Southwestern Folk Art Alebrije Animal Oaxaca $15.95 |
|
|
Oaxacan PET DOG Carving Mexican Southwestern Folk Art Alebrije Animal Oaxaca $15.95 |
|
|
Oaxacan black pegasus horse alebrije-Oaxaca Mexico wood carving Mexican folk art $65.00 |
|
|
Oaxaca Mexico purple turtle alebrije pair-Oaxacan wood carving Mexican folk art $22.00 |
|
|
Red Turtle wood carving-Oaxaca Mexico alebrije-Oaxacan Mexican folk art $30.00 |
|
|
Oaxacan winged dragon alebrije-Oaxaca Mexico wood carving Mexican folk art $55.00 |
|
|
Oaxaca Mexico tribal blue deer alebrije-Oaxacan wood carving- Mexican folk art $62.00 |
|
|
Oaxaca Mexico wood carving- green turtle alebrije pair-Oaxacan Mexican folk art $22.00 |
|
|
Oaxaca Mexico wood carving-winged giraffe alebrije-Oaxacan Mexican folk art $45.00 |
|
|
Blue pegasus horse alebrije-Oaxacan Mexican folk art Oaxaca Mexico wood carving $65.00 |
|
|
Oaxacan iguana alebrije-Oaxaca Mexico wood carving – Mexican folk art $110.00 |
|
|
Stunning Oaxacan coyote wood carving-Oaxaca Mexico alebrije- Mexican folk art $275.00 |
|
|
Oaxacan cat puma alebrije-Oaxaca Mexico wood carving – Mexican folk art $190.00 |
|
|
MEXICAN DANCE MASK. NEGRITO MASK FROM OAXACA. MEXICAN FOLK ART $29.95 |
|
|
MEXICAN DANCE MASK. NEGRITO TEJORONE MASK FROM OAXACA. MEXICAN FOLK ART $59.90 |
|
|
10 1/2″ Mexican folk art ceramic Oaxaca couple by JOSEFINA AGUILAR $225.00 |
|
|
Mexican Oaxaca folk art ceramic silver glitter mermaid w/shark JOSEFINA AGUILAR $39.99 |
|
|
Mexican Oaxaca folk art ceramic red glitter mermaid w/big fish JOSEFINA AGUILAR $39.99 |
|
|
Oaxaca Folk Art Demetrio Aguilar Boat Woman & Marigolds $40.00 |
|
|
Mexican Oaxaca ceramic fruit & folk art vendor JOSEFINA AGUILAR 7 1/2″ tall $49.99 |
|
|
MEXICAN FOLK ART OAXACA-MIXES.WOOD CARVING NICE TUCAN $45.99 |
|
|
Oaxacan Mini Porcupine Carving Mexican Folk Art Oaxaca $10.00 |
|
|
MILTA OAXACA Village Scene MEXICAN FOLK ART VASE Red Clay Souvenir Tourist $34.99 |
|
|
Oaxaca Folk Art Irene Aguilar Big Ceramic Devil & Snake $60.00 |
|
|
MEXICAN FOLK ART OAXACA CARVING WOOD AMAZING WASP $38.99 |
|
|
PAIR OF WOVEN DEER FIGURES FROM OAXACA. MEXICAN FOLK ART $5.75 |
|
|
Signed OAXACA,MEXICO Folk-Art-ALEBRIJE DRAGON $9.99 |
|
|
TRIBUS MIXES- OAXACA MEXICAN FOLK ART SIGNED GORGEOUS DRAGON $84.99 |
|
|
MEXICAN FOLK ART OAXACA CARVING WOOD LOVELY DOTTED KITTEN $28.79 |
|
|
OAXACA MEXICAN FOLK ART CARVING WOOD AMAZING DRAGON $23.19 |
|
|
VINTAGE MEXICAN FOLK ART OAXACA AMAZING DRAGON CHINO $46.74 |
|
|
MEXICAN FOLK ART OAXACA MIXES LOVELY BUTTERFLY $35.99 |
|
|
OAXACA MEXICAN FOLK ART CARVING WOOD AMAZING LIZARD $29.99 |
|
|
Mexico, Oaxaca Photo Mugs Mexico, Oaxaca. Sand tapestry (tapete de arena) of skeleton in Zocalo plaza. These carpets are made from sand, dyed sawdust, seeds, flower petals and powdered lime during annual Day of the Dead (Dias de los Muertos) celebration in November…. |
|
|
Oaxaca Profunda $8.99 … |
|
|
Mexican Panorama 200 Years Of Folk Songs location recordings of Jose R Hellmer… |
|
|
Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Mexico, Oaxaca from Danita Delimont $24.99 Photo Puzzle, Mexico, Oaxaca. Mexico, Oaxaca. Sand tapestry (tapete de arena) of skeleton in Zocalo plaza. These carpets are made from sand, dyed sawdust, seeds, flower petals and powdered lime during annual Day of the Dead (Dias de los Muertos) celebration in November. Chosen by Danita Delimont. 10×14 Photo Puzzle with 252 pieces. Packed in black cardboard box of dimensions 5 5/8 x 7 5/8 x 1 1/5…. |
|
|
6 Six Mexican Hand Made Wooden Bobble Head Animals Pack Assortment $24.95 Six small decoration/toy accent pack. Great assortment. Made with fine detail. Ideal for restaurants, bars, parties, events, weddings, celebrations or gifts. Children love to collect them. Finely crafted in Oaxaca Mexico. Available in larger party packs…. |
|
|
Opuestos: Mexican Folk Art Opposites in English and Spanish (English and Spanish Edition) $7.65 “Direct and charming.”âPublishers WeeklyCynthia Weill’s book of Mexican folk art teaches kids about opposites in Spanish and English! These whimsical little animals from Oaxaca, carved and painted by hand, make learning about opposites fun. Up and down, tall and short, left and rightâall inside a beautiful book.Cynthia Weill is an educator and art historian whose expertise is the w… |
|
|
ABeCedarios: Mexican Folk Art ABCs in English and Spanish (English and Spanish Edition) $5.60 Every ABC book worth its cover price is bound to have bright colors and big letters. But not every ABC book has magical hand-carved animals to illustrate every letter. And very few alphabet books present those letters in more varieties than English! Very few alphabet books except the ABeCedarios, that is! In this brightly colored book, the alphabet is presented in both Spanish and English, and inc… |
|
|
Oaxacan Woodcarving: The Magic in the Trees $11.25 Increasingly prized by collectors worldwide, Oaxacan woodcarvings are among the most popular form of folk art available today. These fanciful, brightly colored figures created by rural Mexican woodcarvers reflect the myths and traditions still very much a part of the carvers’ daily lives. A spectacular gallery of over 160 full-color photographs beautifully portrays these artisans and their work, w… |