Female power: Corn silk and cochineal

$ 4,500.00

Size: 60x100cm; 2x3ft

Weaver: Cristina, San Miguel del Valle

Price: 250USD

Materials and methods: criollo sheep wool dyed with natural dyes: Beè (Dactylopius coccus Costa, cochineal) and Yauhtli (tagetes lucida). 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 rug starts with a smile pattern to remind us of the medicine that we carry within and that we can share with each other. After some stripes there is a motiff that represents two male corn tassels with pollen dots, they are two opossing tassels meeting at the center to represent cross pollination of the corn. The pollen comes from many directions dancing with the wind until it finds a female silk (hairs on the corn ear), the line in the center of the motiff represents the silk. Pollen has to travel down the silk to fertilize the ovule, forming a kernel. Scientific observations have clarified the active role of the ovule in selecting a partner in sexual reproduction in humans, I believe it is the same pattern that occurs in plants. This is why this rug was dyed with cochineal female bugs and flowers, as a way to honour the feminine energy of fertility and its active role in this life creating process, contrary to old patriarchal belives. Did you know that cochineal dyed textiles could last hundreds of years in textiles? Even if exposed so sunlight!