Amuzgo Mexican Embroidery Workshop

Amuzgo Mexican Embroidery Workshop

In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to learn a traditional Mexican embroidery technique, historically used to adorn the chest area and seams of the iconic garments called Huipil, as well as to embellish handwoven napkins designed to cradle warm tortillas. You will learn the art of embroidering two pieces of cloth together using four types of stiches: “randa de 3 puntadas”, “randa de diente de iguana”, “randa de 5 puntadas”, and “randa de gusano”.

Guided by an expert Amuzgo artisan, you will work with both hand-spun cotton yarn and naturally dyed yarn, crafting samples of each stitch during the workshop. Additionally, you will receive a video tutorial for future reference. As we embark on this creative journey together, we will explore our creativity and discover the various applications of this technique. Feel free to bring a piece of your wardrobe that you would like to repurpose and unleash your creativity by beautifully finishing your garment seams or by creating a patchwork of left-over fabrics.

By participating, you gain practical embroidery skills and contribute to preserving and reviving this exquisite craft, which faces significant challenges due to the prevalence of commercial fabrics and a shrinking market. Join us in this workshop and let your imagination soar as we celebrate the beauty and tradition of this Mexican embroidery technique.  

About TuYo Foundation

TuYo Foundation was created in 2021 (Amsterdam, Netherlands) by a team of artists and artisans aiming to preserve, rescue and promote ancestral textile techniques while supporting local communities with socially and environmentally responsible practices. TuYo’s pilot project is taking place in Xochistlahuaca (Guerrero, Mexico) together with members of a local indigenous community, named Amuzgo. During this project, there is an assessment of the needs and the issues presented by the weavers and step-by-step solutions are carefully implemented. TuYo aims for a future where textile-dependent communities can prosper with fair wages, and security while preserving their identity and breaking free from stereotypes about indigenous life.

About Amuzgo Culture

In a remote village of the state of Guerrero (México), there is an indigenous group named Amuzgo or Amochco, known for its textile heritage. Weaving in this region has been a women’s role and oral transmission has kept this practise alive from one generation to another, playing crucial roles in the social, spiritual and economic lives of the members of this community. Weaving a piece can take up weeks, months or even a year to be completed, making each creation a unique story of its maker. Amuzgo weaves are complex representations in geometric motifs of the fauna, flora, ethnicity, beliefs and personal narratives of the ancestors. This valuable craft ensures cultural continuity, ritual exchange and strengthens community ties.

About Gabina Valentín López & Inês Queirós

Gabina Valentín López is an Amuzgo weaver from Xochistlahuaca, Guerrero, on the Costa Chica of México. From the age of nine, she started weaving and learning the traditional symbology of her indigenous community, side by side with her family elders. Forced to migrate to the urban areas of Mexico City, weaving became for some years a night activity to keep practising her knowledge and feel closer to her roots. With her passion and strength, Gabina dedicates her life to preserving and maintaining her textile culture. She travels around México to sell the work of the Amuzgo weavers, safeguarding their ability to gain independence as women while keeping their culture alive.

Inês Queirós is a Portuguese textile artist and researcher based in Amsterdam, who is dedicated to preserving the endangered textile cultures and the unique multicultural manifestations of the ethnosphere. As the founder of TuYo Foundation and with her knowledge of natural dyeing methods/weaving techniques, she tries to motivate communities to restore ancestral textile practices while exploring new possibilities. She approaches textiles as a physical vehicle for storytelling, social encounters and a powerful tool for women’s emancipation. She will be the translator and facilitator of the masterclasses taught by Gabina Valentín Lopez.

Information

Location: Weaving Worlds, Pieter Vlaminstraat 5, Amsterdam

Data: 18 juli | 10.00 - 14.00 hrs

Costs: 80,-