Xiguiea - Grecas Teotitlan

Size: 80x150cm; 2.6x5ft 

Weaver: Familia Gutierrez 

Materials and methods: criollo sheep wool hand dyed with colorfast aniline dyes using an exhaustive method. Handwoven on a Zapotec style loom of the 16th century adapted from European styles. Woven using a 7 threads per inch reed. 

Design, patterns and symbols: the first stripes represent smile and laughter that are the source of healing. The central diamond figure represents the Eye of the Feathered snake, the balance of our awareness between the spirit world, the earthly needs, the Nahual (intuition) and tonal (logic) awareness. This diamond has the life cycle of the Nahual growing from it showing us the path to become a person that keeps knowledge and wisdom. Many seeds are dotted neatly around this central figure, these seeds are all the plants we sow in our milpa food system (corn, beans, squash, amaranth, chillies, chia seeds...etc). The border of this central figure represents agaves from which we make Nisduuvbadou, the calming water from the agaves, known as Mezcal, our sacred spirit drink. In the central figure you will find the skin of the feather snake formed with interlocking diamonds and surrounded by seeds of wisdom.