Don Pedro Mendoza Navarro received the «Roberto Montenegro» recognition, granted by the Ministry of Culture of Jalisco for his trajectory as a wool sarapes weaver. Photo: María Reynozo. 

Don Pedro Mendoza Navarro, who has been weaving wool sarapes in the municipality of Jocotepec since he was eight years old, is one of the twelve artisans of Jalisco summoned to receive the «Roberto Montenegro» award for his lifetime career as a creator of wool woven sarapes. The recognition is granted by the Ministry of Culture of the State Government to the most experienced men and women.

The Patio de los Angeles cultural center in the Analco neighborhood of Guadalajara is the setting for the award ceremony; since before four o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, March 18, a dozen artisans and their families from some ten municipalities in the state have been seated waiting for the ceremony to begin.

There is a predominance of gray-haired men in the front row; an elderly man in a wheelchair is constantly attended to by his relatives. They adjust his hat, talk in his ear, check his mouth and eyes. One wears light leather huaraches. Two men wear white hats; one of them holds it in his hands waiting for the session to begin. Meanwhile, he spins it around, like the character in Edmundo Valadez’s story (Death has permission) who waits nervously in a meeting.

Doña Elena Quezada Cabrales, 89 years old, embroiderer, is the only woman being honored. She also waits seated next to the man in the wheelchair, in silence.

It is about five o’clock in the afternoon and the artisans are still waiting for the authorities who are about to arrive.

Don Pedro Mendoza, 76 years old, is very happy and nervous too, the wait lengthens the nervousness because he is the one selected to speak once the awards ceremony begins.

-Tomorrow is Saint Joseph the Worker’s Day,» he says, proud to feel the same way, a simple worker who makes pieces worthy of being shown to the world.

One of his sarapes is on display; it is cream colored natural wool with colored threads; the bright rhomboids in the center seem to move, the light blue and red flowers appear bright, next to a poster with a phrase of Don Pedro obtained from a series of interviews conducted by the agency.

The sarapes that Don Pedro weaves on his pedal loom are distinguished by their colorfulness and traditional technique. Photo: María Reynozo.

«When I teach a boy to use the loom, I am happy, because I know that my knowledge will not die when I am gone,» reads the small sign.

According to Rafael Castro Rivera, Head of Popular and Urban Cultures of the state cultural agency, the artisans honored are on average 78 and 92 years old.

Around five o’clock in the afternoon, Margarita Alfaro Aranguren, Director of Artisan Promotion; Lourdes González Pérez, Secretary of Culture of Jalisco and Mario Alberto Limon Carranza, Director of Integral Project Management of the same agency, were present. They occupied the chairs placed at the front of the presidium. Don Pedro and Doña Elena were also there.

In his speech, the Jocotepec weaver expressed his emotion for the possibility of transmitting his knowledge to the new generations through the Jocotepec Weaving School, where he teaches young people to weave wool.

Amidst applause and after the speeches of the officials, the artisans receive the recognition framed in a wooden frame that they embrace for the photo.

The 12 artisans recognized were Alejandro Alfaro, Juan Manuel Águila, Pedro Mendoza, Elena Quezada, Flavio García, Luis Zermeño, Carmen Torres, Jesús Flores, Luciano Jacobo, Jorge Soriano, José Hernández and José Ascensión Juárez.

Around the meeting and on the occasion of the Day of the Artisan (March 19), the head of the Secretariat of Culture organizes the exhibition of handicrafts Made with the heart in which pieces from different municipalities are exhibited. On display are huaraches and cutlery from Sayula, ocochal objects from Mazamitla, pink quarry sculptures from San Miguel el Alto and bone carving objects from Teocaltiche.

The attendees begin to leave, some hurriedly drink the horchata water offered to them and eat the steamed tacos that were served. Others take them and leave in a hurry.

The authorities continue to participate in the tour. Among all the pieces; Don Pedro’s serape seems to shine; the flowers acquire movement when the Secretary of Culture, Lourdes Gonzalez, takes it in her hands in her final tour of the exhibition. Don Pedro talks proudly about his process, showing the authorities his hands marked by a lifetime’s work at the loom. He not only has dozens and dozens of sarapes to his credit, but dozens more on the waiting list. He is finishing a path for the Lord of Huaje, of which he will only charge for the material, because he reiterates, the work for him is not charged. 

This weaver of colorful threads represents today the municipality of Jocotepec in an event of austere recognition where what shines the most is that serape dotted with figures that «seem to move».

Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan