Delicate bamboo pendants with incised designs are being made on the Pacific Coast and sold at the Club Med in Huatulco. Shell jewelry and hair ornaments and brightly painted, lacquered wood earrings are found frequently in resort shops. The single strand clay, stone and glass bead necklaces and others with leather palm tree and sunbursts hanging are amusing casual accessories and appropriately priced. Hanging in the market place stalls are clay bead necklaces from the pottery villages of Atzompa and Coyotepec. With little chickens, ducks and fish, these look best when two different ones are worn at once.
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LACQUER WARE
A plethora of lacquered gourds, masks, trays, and boxes are for sale in Oaxaca, and almost all of it comes from the State of Michoacan and Olinala, Guerrero, although the vendors will swear they make it themselves. Origin clear or not, the lacquer items are attractive, colorful, inexpensive, and heir to one of the oldest and most celebrated crafts in Mexico. Mexican lacquer is as long-lasting as oriental lacquer if correctly applied and hardens with age. The cheaper lacquer items, which are most of the gourds, are likely to have painted-on designs. You can buy the flower-decorated gourds in many shops, in market places and in front of the Cathedral. The ones with tops are useful for holding paper clips, make-up, cookies, sugar, you name it.
LEATHER GOODS
The Spanish introduced leather working to Mexico along with cattle and sheep, the source of hides. The craft has reached impressive heights along with the horse cult, where some of the best work is employed. The Charro or expert Mexican rider dresses himself and his horses magnificently. Saddles are elaborately decorated with tooled designs, silver and gold thread embroidery, inserts of colored leather, sometimes additional details in silver. The less
expensive horse gear is sold in market places.
The Benito Juarez Market has a whole aisle of leather goods including the Mexican sandal or "huarache," the most popular footgear in the country; belts, hats, leather and suede jackets, purses, briefcases, desk sets, suitcases, and wallets. Different regions of Oaxaca produce their own variety of the "huarache," such as Miahuatlan and Yalalag in the Sierra de Juarez, but you can probably find a good pair in local markets.
When buying leather shoes choose soft, flexible material, and check, by putting your hand inside, for rough edges, metal pieces or knots that could be bothersome. The two shoes may not match exactly, so try on both. With huaraches, buy ones with fairly thick soles (they last longer and provide better support). When purchasing larger leather items, examine the surface for flaws or breaks that may have been filled in with another piece of leather or other substance. Hand-tooled designs are preferable and cut deeper into the leather than machine-stamped patterns, which may be disguising flaws.
SOURCES
OAXACA, CITY OF
CENTRAL DE ABASTOS MARKET
Israel Rosas, Stall 18, handicrafts section
(ready-made and to-order huaraches)
Alfonso Ramos Jacinto, Stall 193, handicrafts section
Belts, wallets, bags, key chains, good quality and variety
BENITO JUAREZ MARKET near 20 de Noviembre, on the west side aisle
Huaraches, sandals, wallets, hats, bags, belts
20 de NOVIEMBRE MARKET, exterior west side. Belts, bags, wallets
Silva Martinez, Abraham (20 de Noviembre Market)
Stall 19 (exterior, 20 de Noviembre St.); 6-45-35
Manufacturer in business for many years with good quality products.
Tooled leather handbags, wallets, larger bags
MARTINEZ RIOS, MARIA AURORA
Av. Montoya 515 near Central de Abastos, Col. Lazaro Cardenas
San Martin Mexicapan; 2-01-62
Members of the co-op M.A.R.O. at 5 de Mayo 204.
Sandals, small leather goods
EJUTLA DE CRESPO (65 kms. or 40 miles S of Oaxaca, Hwy. 175 S to Miahuatlan)
Bags, portfolios, jackets, belts. Find in shops and the market place or inquire at the government offices.
MIAHUATLAN DE PORFIRIO DIAZ (105 kms. or 65 miles from Oaxaca, Hwy. 175 south)
Riding chaps ("capulines"), jackets, belts, bags, portfolios, sandals. Buy in shops or the market place or inquire for manufacturers in local government offices.
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