The Mexican rebozo, or shawl, is an intricate and very beautiful piece of handiwork. It is also a definitive garment and no other country makes them quite the way Mexico does. The Mexican rebozo is a multi-purpose covering and, still to this day, is considered a symbol of mexicanidad worn proudly by Mexican women of all social standings. The word rebozo comes from the verb rebozar, meaning to cover up.

In the days before the Spanish conquest, both men and women used a kind of simple shawl, a lienzo, both for warmth and for carrying bundles. It was woven on backstrap looms from maguey and henequen fibers. Soon after the Spaniards arrived, they insisted that the Mexican women wear a head covering for entering the churches. This mandate, combined with the Spaniards' imported weaving skills, gave birth to the rebozo.

Their veneration of the craft is evident in the matchless quality of their cotton rebozos. The secret of this meticulous and timeworn art begins with the dying of the cotton threads. Among the dyes most frequently used are those made from indigo, annatto seeds, burnt oak, cochineal and other traditional colorants.

The final touch comes with the knot work that makes the fringe of the rebozo. The loose threads on the ends of the woven piece are tied and knotted into intricate designs. Don Miguel used to do this himself but age has found it necessary to parcel the work out to women in the village to complete this arduous part of the process.

The quality of the pieces and the arduous work involved make them very costly. Their true value, however, is hard to estimate, not only in terms of the beauty of the work but because they constitute examples of an exquisite Mexican folk art which, thanks to the interest of artisans like Don Miguel García, has not yet been lost.  

The rebozo has taken its place among the most valued Mexican folkart and has been represented by Don Miguel at Feria Maestros del Arte since 2004. Watch for them again this year.

If you are interested in purchasing Don Miguel's work, call Marianne Carlson at 011522 376 765 7485 or email mariannecarlson@gmail.com