What an amazing day! So much to see and learn! Our first stop today was to visit a Marigold field. These fields are full of marigolds specifically for Day of the Dead. These fields are all throughout Oaxaca! "The relationship between marigolds, or
cempasúchil, and Día de Muertos runs deep. The celebration traces back to pre-Hispanic Aztec rituals tied to the goddess Mictecacihuatl, or the Lady of the Dead. The story goes that Mictecacihuatl allowed spirits to travel back to earth to reconnect with their family members. The fragrance, which is a musky smell, from marigolds is said to lead souls from their burial place to their family homes. Throughout the years, this tradition adopted Roman Catholic aspects from Spaniards who conquered Mexico," (
How Marigolds Became a Symbol for Día de Muertos |
Desert Botanical Garden, n.d.) I took a small video of the fields! See below
We also were able to visit a small market where the people weave all sorts of items! With her permission I took a video - look at how detailed it is!
To give an opportunity for my students who are following me on this blog - to earn 50 bonus points on your current week's My Spanish Lab, I want to know what are
alebrijes? Where do they come from? Why are they an important part of Oaxacan culture and history? Please post your answer (150 words with at least 1 work cited). I am bringing one home - 10 extra bonus points if you can guess which one I picked! (post is due by November 2, 11:59 pm)
Alebrijes.
ReplyDelete“They are carved from wood; hand painted and can be found in Oaxaca.”
In 1936, a 30-year-old Mexican papier-mâché artist was sick and started hallucinating animals. In a dream, they were chanting the word Alebrijes. So, thus he created colorful animals with his art and became very well known. They are symbolized for celebration, magic of creativity and beauty of other worlds. They can be created with the expression of being very vibrant, exaggerated, contorted, funny, or peaceful and loving. This seems to be a young tradition but there are roots in the Zapotec culture, which originate in and around Oaxaca in southern Mexico, that are known for the belief of animal spirit guides that are called tona. They have a traditional calendar, which has 13 months divided by 20 days with each day being dedicated to an animal. In their culture, an individual would be assigned an animal based on their birthday. So these Alebrijes are symbols of spirit guides for the living and the dead.
When I was a little kid, my Abuelitos had a colorful Elephant figure and now I know what it was! That makes me really happy!
So for the spirit of Alebrijes and Day of the Dead, I’m going to guess an elephant!
Works Cited:
What are Alebrijes? Plus, We'll Tell You How to Discover Your Mexican Spirit Animal
https://mexicoinmypocket.com/blogs/blog/what-are-alebrijes-and-their-history-how-to-discover-your-mexican-spirit-animal
This is amazing! I am so glad that this triggered a great memory for you and you now understand the history! But, nope, lol, no elephant!
DeleteAlebrijes are "spirit guides for the afterlife.”, they can be seen as protectors throughout life as well. Alebrijes are mythical creatures that were created by the artist Pedro Linares who was from Oaxaca in the 1930s and this type of art is known as Mexican folk art today. After becoming very sick and having experienced a very vivid dream in which he had encountered these creatures, he started making alebrijes out of paper mache spontaneously. Each alebrije he created has meaning behind its colorful attributions and different animals incorporated which makes each one unique but many of the people in Mexico City found them to be scary and he later moved back home. Once arriving back Linares discovered ways to modify his work which led him to start creating alebrijes out of wood. For my guess as to what alebrije you are going to bring home, I think it will be a tiger.
ReplyDeletehttps://lammuseum.wfu.edu/2020/10/mexico-create-a-colorful-alebrije/
Yes! This is why they are so popular here! Do you think they are scary? My kids loved them! And, nope, not a tiger :)
DeleteAlebrijes are Mexican folk tale art animals with whimsical features and bright colors, that originated from Pedro Linares, a Mexican artist who fell ill and dreamt of these creatures and brought them to life in art form. Alebrijes originated in the 1930s, made of paper mâché and cardboard but then later adopted the form of wood in the 1980s, but what makes alebrijes even more unique, is the ties connected to the spiritual animal and the many forms it can take. A traditional belief about Alebrijes is two or more animal features merge together to create one linked to one soul, linking colors, patterns, shapes, and sizes to identify with that person. Alebrijes have a huge impact on the Mexican tradition Day of the Dead, as they are said to honor the deceased and bridge the gap between the living and dead.
ReplyDeleteWork Cited
What are Alebrijes? by Nellie Huang
https://mexicotravel.blog/what-are-alebrijes/#:~:text=Alebrijes%20are%20sculptures%20of%20colorful%20and%20whimsical-looking%20spirit,often%20resulting%20in%20surreal%20and%20visually%20captivating%20forms.
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alebrije
I'm going to guess you brought home the elephant you mentioned within the blog or the famous dragon, advertised greatly during the Day of the Dead.
Great job! I loved how you wrote that they bridge the gap between the living and the dead! And, nope, no dragon :)
DeleteAlebrijes are whimsical and brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures, combining various animal and mythical elements. They originated in the 1930s in Mexico City, primarily attributed to the visionary artist Pedro Linares, who claimed to have dreamt of a strange place resembling a forest with trees, animals, rocks, clouds, thorns, and other strange things, all of which transformed into fantastical beings known as "alebrijes."
ReplyDeleteAlebrijes soon gained popularity and became closely associated with the state of Oaxaca, where artisans refined and expanded the craft. Oaxaca is renowned for its rich artistic traditions, and alebrijes are now an essential part of Oaxacan culture and history. They serve as a unique form of artistic expression, symbolizing the blending of indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec traditions with Spanish influence. Alebrijes have become an important economic and cultural symbol for Oaxaca, drawing tourists and collectors alike to the region.
Source:
- "Alebrijes: Folk Art and Imaginary Creatures in Mexico" by Victoria Price and Antonio García, 2017
Very good work and great job discussing the connection to the indigenous people! They are very present here! And nope, no dragon LOL
DeleteMy guess on what Alebrije you broght home was the dragon
ReplyDeleteAlebrijes are brightly colored mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures. Apparently, their role was to link the spirits and the real world and guide a person through their lives. Spiritual guides for your soul, reminders of your place in the world, and society, holders of the torch. They are meant to lead you in your path and help you become who you are supposed to be. They connect with our deepest true selves and our shared imaginary realm.
ReplyDeleteThey are an important part of mexican culture because they are a unique form of art, which hispanic culture is mostly known for. their deep creative history.
Work cited:
Parra, Kip. “Alebrije Spirit Guides & the Day of the Dead.” EL SILENCIO, EL SILENCIO, 14 Oct. 2020, silencio.com/our-movement/alebrije-spirit-guides#:~:text=Their%20role%20was%20to%20link,you%20are%20supposed%20to%20be.
My guess is that you brought the elephant home.
ReplyDeleteAlebrijes are Mexican sculptures of fantastical creatures or animals, with a wide variety of vibrant colors. Their origin comes form a man named Pedro Linares in the 1940s. He used to make paper-mache piñatas, carival masks, and figures that he sold throughout Mexico City. The story of the creation of alebrijes is told in this article, "Linares often told the story of how he was inspired to create fantastical alebrijes. Basically, he became very ill and while in an unconscious state Linares dreamed of these incredible, scary creatures. The creatures began chanting a single nonsense word: alebrije… alebrije… alebrije!" (Cromwell, 2021). After recovering he would make paper-mache alebrijes and start spreading them throughout Mexico City.
ReplyDeleteThe significance of Alebrijes to Oaxaca is that Linare's home town was in Oaxaca. He would return back to Arrazola, a village in Oaxaca, and share his creations with other artisans. They would continue to be made and be spread by his family, "Today, descendants of Pedro Linares’ and Manuel Jimenez’s families continue to use paper-mache, carved wood, and paint to create colorful alebrijes," (Cromwell, 2021).
For my guess on what alebrije you are going to bring back, I want to guess it will be a dragon.
Works Cited
Cromwell, S. (2021, July 20). Mexico: Create a colorful alebrije. Timothy S. Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology. https://lammuseum.wfu.edu/2020/10/mexico-create-a-colorful-alebrije/
Alebrijes are colorful Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures, originating in Mexico City in the 1930s. Created by paper mache artist Pedro Linares, they are known for their vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and imaginative forms. They often combine elements from different animals, creating hybrid creatures that are both fascinating and surreal. Alebrijes gained popularity in Oaxacan culture in the 1980s when a family of artisans in San Martín Tilcajete began producing them using traditional woodcarving techniques. The art form spread throughout the region and became closely associated with Oaxacan culture. Alebrijes hold significant cultural and historical importance in Oaxaca, representing Mexican craftsmanship and creativity. They provide economic opportunities for artisans in the region and have been recognized internationally. Alebrijes are deeply rooted in the indigenous Zapotec culture of Oaxaca, with their imaginative forms and vibrant colors often drawing inspiration from Zapotec mythology and beliefs. They are believed to possess powers that can protect individuals or bring them good fortune. The city of Oaxaca holds the "Noche de los Alebrijes" parade every year, celebrating the art form and the creativity of Oaxacan artisans.
ReplyDeleteWork Cited
“Alebrije - A brief History.” Mayan Copal, 4 April 2018, https://mayancopal.com/blogs/news/alebrije-a-brief-history. Accessed 4 November 2023.