On our recent trip to the communities of Pahuatlan, Atla, and San Pablito in the Mexican state of Puebla, we were
amazed by the variety of folk art produced in this region. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the typical forms
of folk art produced by the indigenous communities of this mountainous region known as the Sierra de Puebla.
One of the most interesting things about this part of Mexico is the fact that there are two very different indigenous
groups living very close together, namely the Otomi and the Nahua.
The community of San Pablito is an Otomi community, whereas Atla and other communities in this region are
primarily Nahua. Atla and San Pablito are only about an hour away from each other along winding mountain roads.
Both communities maintain their traditional cultures and languages. These communities are largely bilingual as
well, with Spanish being a second language. When visiting Atla and San Pablito, I found that most people,
including children, speak in their native language. This could be due to the fact that these communities are largely
isolated and hard to reach. Another obvious reason is a strong desire to maintain their culture and heritage.
The town of Pahuatlan, which is the regional hub, is a mix of Otomi, Nahua, and mestizo cultures. However,
mestizos tend to make up the main population of the town, while the Otomi and Nahua typically visit on market
days to sell fruits, vegetables, and folk art to locals and tourists alike. Now, let’s take a look at the folk art from this
region of Puebla, starting with the Otomi Community of San Pablito.
San Pablito is considered the most important producer of Mexican bark paper (know as “papel amate” in the entire
country. The Otomi artisans in San Pablito use the bark of the Jonote tree, which is related to ficus trees, to make
papel amate. The bark is soaked and cooked, making it soft and pliable. Next, the artisans take small rectangular
stones and pound the bark to loosen the fibers. The fibers are then arranged and smoothed out on tablets to
make the paper. Next, the paper is set out to dry in the sun.
The Otomi have made this paper for centuries, and we were shown some paper-making stones that they said
were several generations old. I have seen similar stones in various museums as well. Paper of this type was
apparently used throughout ancient Mesoamerica and was used to make the famous Codices from Maya and
Aztec cultures. I’m not sure if the same tree was used for the codices, though.
While the raw amate paper itself is a work of art, the artists of San Pablito make numerous usual objects with the
paper. Traditional cut-outs of their gods are a common site in the market of Pahuatlan and a small museum in
San Pablito dedicated to Otomi arts and crafts. These paper cutouts are thought to be the source for the modern
Mexican “papel picado” or cut paper banners seen throughout the country during fiestas.
Additionally, the paper is used as a base for colorful paintings featuring geometric designs based on Otomi culture
and mythology. We purchased several paintings representing local gods, including, the god of chile (El Dios del
Chile), the god of peanuts, a common crop in this region (El Dios de Cacahuate), and the god of corn (El Dios del
Maiz).
Apparently, an artist from Pahuatlan named Don Lechuga (I have the full name written in journal buried
somewhere in a box), helped to teach many of the artists from this region to help improve their techniques and
expand the variety of arts and crafts that they offer.
The paper itself is available is dozens of colors, as the artists bleach and then dye the paper. Additionally, many
artists from San Pablito are using the fibers to create unusual sculptures/paintings. These are typical 2 dimension
flat pieces of paper with the fibers woven to create both abstract and representational images. There are some on
display in the photo at the top of the post. We met one particularly inventive artist who was also including colorful
embroidery, made by another group of Otomi I believe are from the state of Hidalgo, in his papel amate sculptures.
The creativity of the community of San Pablito is truly impressive. Their work with papel amate is the most
traditional form of artwork that they create. However, because of the extended rainy season in this part of the Sierra
de Puebla, the time they have to dry the papel amate is often limited. Thus, they also work with beads to create
unique key chains, necklaces, bracelets, dolls, and other colorful objects.
It is no surprise how industrious the people of San Pablito are, as they mostly make their living selling their folk art.
Papel amate from San Pablito is purchased and sold throughout the world, and is also used to make paintings in
other parts of Mexico such as Guerrero and Oaxaca.
Unfortunately, the community does not necessarily prosper with the sale of folk art. Their paper and bead work is
purchased at what I consider ridiculously cheap prices for the amount labor put into making the folk art.
Additionally, the lack of other employment opportunities in the region means that many people choose to
immigrate to the U.S. in search of work. It would be great to have some sort of fair trade organization work with the
artists of San Pablito to ensure that they get fair prices. Perhaps there is already, but I am unaware of one.
Despite these problems, San Pablito is an industrious community that fights to maintain their traditional culture
and folk art traditions.
Next, we’ll take a look at other forms of folk art from the Sierra de Puebla. Yes indeed, there’s more! Please stayed
tuned! We'll also take a look at how you can make your own hand-made paper to decorate!
Also, a quick note to say the Otomi community of San Pablito is also quite famous for embroidery work, and the
blouses and clothing that they use there are also quite beautiful, as this photo shows.
San Pablito and the Sierra de Puebla are definitely a haven for folk art lovers!
Please read more about the folk arts of the Sierra de Puebla here.
