The pleiades: the ladies of the market

Size: 60x100cm; 2x3ft

Weaver: Toña La negra 🏳️‍🌈

Materials and methods: Fine merino and angora blend yarns for the background and criollo sheep wool for the details. Hand dyed with aniline dyes in an exhaust method for color fastness. 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 depicts the seeds that were given to us by the ladies of the market, beni guie'a, the Pleiades. All the sister seeds that create the agricultural food system known as the milpa. Typically we talk about the three sister seeds that from the base structure of the milpa agroecological food system but there is more to that, other seeds that one can plant are chia seeds, amaranth, chillies, cempasuchitl, and agave plants among other plantcestors. Each seed brings a gift to the milpa ecosystem and works together with the other plants to create a synergy for optimal growth and nutrition. These seeds are being kept by the "ladies of the market" known as the Pleiades in the western world. Markets, afterall, are the heart of our communities were we gather to exchange the bounty and blessings that our careful tending of the land provides; it is where we meet and greet each other, find out how we are and build community; markets are sacred spaces not transactional empty rooms.

Toña La negra, is the nick name of the weaver, she may identify as an indigenous two spirit or LGBTQIA+. In Dixzaa (zapotec) language we have the word Biraash to denote the spectrum of gender and ssexual orientation, it literally translates as lazy/slow wind, maybe denoting the fluid nature of gender and sexuality. I do not know her so well and I certainly cannot speak on behalf of a community but I can assert that just like in all of Oaxaca, we have a culture that understands the fluid nature and wide spectrum of sexuality, that it is part of our ancient culture, and actually in Zapotec culture, markets are a safe place to live and express your gender and sexual orientation freely, maybe because they are mostly run and organized by woman and matriachs that love all their children. However, in spite of that, there is also a toxi degree of machismo, ignorance and homophobia that still permeates in our streets and comminuties. The challenges are still here but as long as we are guided by love and diversity, just like the ladies of the market (pleiades) teach us, we can live in happy and healthy communities. The market is the heart of our village. 

Customize fringes.

Twisted: traditional zapotec look, sturdy. 

Bundled: boho look; secured and soft.

Tucked in: secured and tidy. Looks neat for hanging and easy vacuuming on the floor. (Allow two days for processing).