The Colorful Corn, Palm, and Wooden Crafts of the Tianguis in Chilapa, Mexico

In the last part of my recent trip through Mexico, we traveled the mountains of Guerrero, from south to north, visiting several towns that produced crafts that were very specific to each area.  Once on the road heading north, it became clear that we had left our coastal towns behind, and were about to experience a different landscape and a more indigenous population.  The animals I saw by the side of the road, or in the road, on the way up included turkeys, pigs, horses, burros and cows!

Our first destination was Chilapa, located about 70 miles north of Acapulco, with a population of 27,500.  We planned our arrival for a Saturday morning, so that we could attend their weekly Tianguis (open air market).  On the drive I noticed many cornfields in the valleys,

and later discovered at the Tianguis that the local mountain people use the husks to create beautiful colorful and creative dolls, such as these dancers, mariachis, and brides and grooms.

They also use the corn husks to create brightly colored flowers.

Palms are another natural material that the local people use in their work here, to create functional and colorful boxes and bags,

and to make palm jewelry as well.  I brought a variety of these palm earrings home with me.

 There were several vendors selling gorgeous native textiles.

These dresses were for sale by Nahua speaking women, in the style still worn daily by the women of the neighboring village of San Jeronimo.

And here the Virgen de Guadalupe showed up on a bag

Of course there were also many food items for sale, like this irresistible pan,

and these colorful beans,

 but the food items that especially caught my eye were the live ones!

Turkey, anyone?

This area is also known for brightly carved and painted wooden masks, and the jaguar seems to be particularly popular here.  They also come as a mini version in earrings!  I brought some of the mask earrings home with me as well.

Here are a variety of little warrior dolls, again with some featuring the jaguar.

All that shopping made us pretty hungry, and we were lucky to happen upon a delicious place called Rosita Comida.  Here's Rosita on the right, along with her "right hand gal" in the kitchen,

Eduardo was so happy to have Posole, his favorite.  That's Mezcal in the shot glass, by the way, which is great for keeping the stomach strong on these adventures!

With some daylight left to spare, we took a drive to the neighboring town of Zitlala, where we saw another open air market, featuring fruits, vegetables and flowers, but no crafts.  Noteworthy at this market were the fresh marigolds, which have been said to symbolize the sweet sorrows of love, and are used to honor the dead in Mexico.

They showed up again in the local church,

The church had some beautifully decorated crown moulding,

and I like the way the townspeople had stuck the candles to the floor.  This did, however, once again remind me of that golden rule that I have, namely  "always look down while walking in Mexico".

Here's one more church that we passed going back out of town, that I thought had an interesting mural on the exterior.

We headed back to Chilapa, where we spent the night at the Hotel Los Angeles.  The next morning I got a lesson in drinking from a coconut (the milk of the coconut also very good for the stomach when on these adventures).

Back on the road, our next destination would be world renowned artisan town of Olinala, about a three hour drive on winding mountain roads.  Along the way, I was excited to see a local woman in her native dress, walking along a stretch of road in the mountains.  I am always so happy to see indigenous people able to preserve their culture.

The drive to Olinala was quite challenging, but one of the most rewarding of our trip.  Stay tuned for that story!

xo Linda