Guciuú: lightning

$417.56 USD

Size: 80x150cm; 2.6'x5'

Weaver: Francisca Hipólito

Price: 420USD

Materials and methods: criollo sheep wool hand dyed by Leonor Lazo and Samuel Bautista with naturaldyes: Xiuhquilitl (indigo). Handwoven on a Zapotec style loom of the 16th century adapted from European styles. Woven using a 7 threads per inch reed and wool rayon blend for warp.

Design, patterns and symbols.

This desgin depicts the cosmic snake that descends from the skyworld in the form of lightnings. Just before the rainy season, at the end of May, there are many lightning storms in the central valley of Oaxaca; these lightnings storms are believed to start the sprouting of many seeds and also a type of pine mushroom that is very tasty. It is as if trees know it is time to turn green and start growing off shoots, even before the first rains fall, some acacia trees are already growing green buds because they can tap to deep underground water table with their long snakey roots. Lightning thus, connects the water from the sky with the water from the underworld and starts the rainy cycle. Hence, this rug has this ancient pattern that is used in prayers and ceremonies to ask for rain for our milpas.