"Cover Me With Your Rebozo" - Museum of Popular Culture

A funny thing happened to this post on its way to publication. I thought I knew what I was writing about. A year ago, I published a post about rebozos. For months, Rebozos in Michoacán and Elsewhere has been among Jenny's Top Five All-Time Most-Viewed Posts.

So when the Museum of Popular Cultures in Coyoacán announced a rebozo exhibit titled "Cover Me With Your Rebozo", I was one of the first in line.

Rebozo from Exhibit "Cover Me With Your Rebozo" at the
National Museum of Popular Culture, Coyoacán (Mexico City)
Photo: Reed (Click to Enlarge)

The rebozo is a typical Mexican garment worn like a shawl. It is described poetically as the cradle that lulls, the jacket that covers, the shade that refreshes, the garment that crowns, the elegance that distinguishes. As an ongoing tradition in all parts of the country, it is regarded as a national symbol.

Gregorio de Gante's poem titled,"Ode to the Rebozo" makes explicit the symbolic value of the rebozo. The introduction to the exhibit quoted two stanzas from the poem. Curiosity piqued, I found the poem on the Internet. And that's where the post fell off the rails of this blogger's best intentions and editorial control. (See my translation, Poem: "Ode to the Rebozo")

Poem's Historical Context

The poem is beautiful; its imagery vivid. References to the rebozo's role in the life cycle of rural Mexicans resonated so strongly with my experiences in Pátzcuaro that I decided to translate the poem into English. But translation brought me up against references so distinctly Mexican that I considered omitting some stanzas. Fortunately, my inner self cautioned, "Not so fast, Jenny." I turned to my good friend and teacher of Spanish for help (CELEP).

The more I learned, the more I came to understand the poem's complexity and relevance. Not for the first time, my attempt to understand a seemingly isolated piece of the complex fabric called "the culture" of Mexico, seems to lead straight into the complexity that is Mexico's multi-layered cultural whole.

A light bulb went on as I read a biography of the poet Gregorio de Gante. Why was I not surprised to learn that Gante was born in 1890, which means he was twenty years old in 1910 when the Mexican Revolution broke out?

The poem's references are not only to the Mexican Revolution, which Gante and his brothers joined, fighting in the Revolutionary Forces under General Antonio Medina, but also to the War for Independence from Spain, which had taken place a hundred years earlier.

Brief History of Mexico | Setting the stage

I recall that Mexico's War for Independence (1810-1821) was begun by criollos (Spanish born in Mexico) rebelling against their lack of political rights and hence their exclusion from political power. Intent on maintaining control, the Spanish Crown permitted only peninsulares (Spanish born in Spain) to hold office. Once gained, however, Independence simply set off a hundred years of civil strife inside Mexico.

Conservatives favored establishment of a monarchy; Liberals favored populist, representative government. These forces struggled to gain control over the fledgling country that lacked practical experience in self-governance, including basic notions of compromise and rule of law.

The election of Porfirio Díaz in 1876 brought some stability to the country, but at a steep price. Once in office, Díaz held onto the presidency for thirty-four years (1876-1911), a period of dictatorship known as the Porfiriato. Primarily by encouraging foreign investment, Díaz not only achieved internal stability, but fostered modernization and economic growth. Economic progress, however, was achieved through violent repression and exclusion of most Mexicans from economic opportunity and power—injustices that triggered the Mexican Revolution, which broke out in 1910.

The Mexican Revolution (1910-1917) was not a coherent political movement under a unified leadership. Rather, it was another bitter fight between the landed elites and the masses in an ongoing political dynamic that continued to pit Conservatives (landed elites in favor of strong central government) against Liberals (populists in favor of representative government).

Nurturing Mexican Nationalism | Enter the rebozo

When the fighting wound down in 1917 and the dust finally settled in 1920 with the election of Álvaro Obregón as president, the landed elites had more or less prevailed over the populist forces. But if the government was intentional about subduing popular revolutionary leaders like Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, it was equally intentional about fostering a sense of Mexican nationalism to support the nation's newly approved Constitution (1917).

To support its nationalist goal, the government drew on the traditional values of Mexico's indigenous peoples and actively supported the arts and artists. Literature, poetry, music, dance, photography and painting—all received government support. The common denominator in the theme of this cultural work was the Mexican Revolution, whose anniversary is celebrated annually on November 20.

Government support fostered the internationally recognized Mexican Mural Movement. The "Great Three" Mexican Muralists—Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Siqueiros—embraced the twin themes of indigenous values and the Mexican Revolution. In doing so, they created a mythology around the Mexican Revolution and Mexico's indigenous people. It is a mythology that remains strong in the imagination of Mexico's people to this day.

Silent films made from 1917-1920—years recognized as being a significant precursor to the famed Golden Age of Mexican Film (1935-1959)—provided valuable documentaries of key events in the Mexican Revolution. When 'talkies' arrived, the key themes were explored in various ways, often by means of tragic love stories pairing los de abajo (those from below, indigenous peoples) with los de arriba (those from above, the ruling elite).

Mariano Azuela, a physician during the Mexican Revolution, wrote a collection of short stories titled Los de abajo (Those from Below), that have become classics...as have the short stories of Juan Rulfo titled El llano en llamas (The Plains in Flames).

Regional bands playing traditional Mexican songs and traditional dances are an integral part of this national project; the world-famous Ballet Foklórico of Mexico, for example, was founded in 1952.

This, then, sets the stage for Gante's poem and for the rebozo exhibit. My translation and notes are available on Jenny's Page "Ode to the Rebozo".

"Cover Me With Your Rebozo"

The title of the exhibit at the Museum of Popular Cultures speaks to the rebozo as a transcendent national symbol that 'covers' all Mexicans: certainly, los de abajo (those from below) but los de arriba (those from above) as well.

The rebozos in the exhibit (shown below) are winners of a national competition.

Exhibit Photographs: Reed.
Click to Enlarge.

Regional Rebozos

Crafting a rebozo is a time-consuming, fifteen-step process that moves from spinning, winding, twisting and dyeing the thread, to weaving and pressing the finished product.

Given all these steps, each rebozo takes from 30-90 days to complete, depending on the complexity of the design. Both men and women weave rebozos, but the rapacejo or tejido en las puntas ['knitting on the stitches' to create the fringes], is an art practiced only by women who, with their fine finger dexterity and skill, create figures ranging from 'grecas' [traditional geometric patterns] to stars and legendary figures.

Rebozos may be of cotton, wool, silk, raw silk, or artisela. Artisela is a synthetic silk whose cellulose is made from wood fiber. Artisela, or Chardonnay silk, was invented in 1886 in France by Count Hilario of Chardonnay. Artisela was shown for the first time in Paris in 1889. Less expensive and easier to obtain than silk, artisela is often substituted for silk, which is an increasingly expensive raw material. Because of the cost, traditional silk rebozos are today generally made to order and affordable only by the wealthy few.

Rebozos are made in several states of Mexico. Each state's rebozos are identifiable by style, form and colors. The most highly recognizable rebozos come from:

• Tenancingo, State of Mexico;
• Silk rebozos, Santa María del Río, San Luis Potosí [see videos, below];
• Los palomos, Uriangato, Guanajuato [see video, below];
• Raw silk rebozos from the Cajonos region of Oaxaca [The opening 15-second segment of this UTube video is delivered in an indigenous language, but the excellent images of manual processes speak for themselves];
• Gasa (chiffon or crepe) rebozos from the Sierra Norte of Puebla; 
• Rebozos from Piedad and Aranza in Michoacán [see video, below].

Still Curious?

"Tápame con el rebozo": Recent Exhibit at Museo de Culturas Populares in Coyocán (Mexico City); also article from Milenio newspaper (in Spanish).

Piropos al Rebozo de Gregorio de Gante (Spanish original).

Casa de las Artesanías, Santa María del Río, San Luis Potosí:

• Rebozo Designs and Colors;
• Six Remarkable Ways to Wear a Rebozo.

Elsa Castillo Gallery, seda (silk) and artisela (synthetic silk made from wood fibers) rebozos from Santa María del Río, San Luis Potosí.

History of the Rebozo (Uriangato, Guanajuato): UTube video features old photographs and segments that show the spinning of thread and weavers at looms weaving rebozos.

Sociedad Cooperativa de Piedad, Michoacán (English); web site provides useful description of the process for making rebozos, including definition of key terms.

Related Jenny's posts:

• Poem: "Ode to the Rebozo" (my translation);
• Rebozos in Michoacán and Elsewhere;
• A Short History of Mexico;
• Diego Rivera: Artist for Mexico's People.

Rebozos in Michoacán and Elsewhere in Mexico

As I've written before, Evangelina, our housekeeper, and I invariably began our day together leaning against the counter to chat while we drank a cafecito.

This day was special.  Never was Evangelina's highly refined sense of play more evident than as she began describing rebozos, "Our rebozos are our third hand; whatever we need to do, our rebozos help us with our work."

What is a rebozo?

Rebozos are shawls worn by Mexican women of all social classes, but especially by women from the countryside. Rebozos are worn draped around the shoulders—sometimes covering the head, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Here's Evangelina's playful litany of uses of the rebozo, along with her commentary:

This señora is wearing the classic rebozo from Michoacán; she had the cargo (charge) for maintaining a chapel we visited on the Purhépecha Meseta outside Pátzcuaro.

Need to carry your baby? Wrap him in your rebozo  and carry him on your back. Your hands are still free to do your work.   Need to carry firewood or bring crops in from the field?  Carry anything at all on your back the same way you carry your baby."  

Disgracefully, we failed to photograph campesina (countrywomen) walking along the dirt lane that passed in front of our house just outside Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, bent over from the weight of carrying large bundles of firewood wrapped in their rebozos.

"Need a sombrero because the sun too strong?  Fold your rebozo and put it on your head.
Need a belt?  That's easy—wrap your rebozo around your waist!"

Going to the market? Baby wrapped in rebozo leaves hands free to select and carry purchases. 

A Purhépecha friend told me that when the women raise their rebozos to cover their  mouths—and sometimes their noses—they are seeking protection from cold air, which is believed to be unhealthy. Note the woman in the left background wearing a black rebozo covering her head, nose and mouth. Or, added my friend, they may be gossiping—behind the rebozo, no one can see who is speaking.

Social Customs Surrounding the Rebozo

By now Evangelina realized that I was enthralled. Perhaps that's why she grew more serious as she explained that as she was getting ready to marry nearly fifty years ago, her father-in-law took her aside.  He explained that she must always have two rebozos—one for household tasks, and one for going afuera (outside) the house.

Then he continued, "If you don't have shoes, that's okay but you must always have a good rebozo, because your rebozo says to the world, 'I am a respectable woman'."

As Evangelina continued speaking, I recall that she had mentioned more than once how important it was for me to wear a rebozo when we visit the remote Purhépecha pueblos on the Meseta (high plateau outside Pátzcuaro). In her world, wearing a rebozo demonstrates respect.

I have heeded her advice. Now that I think about it, my rebozo may explain why women have felt comfortable in striking up conversations with me, which has happened frequently.

Group of women resting in front of the church in Nuria on the Purhépecha Meseta (Michoacán) 

The rebozo's role as a symbol of respectability sets the context for a man's role vis-a-vis his wife's rebozo. Evangelina's prospective father-in-law explained the man's responsibility like this, "If a man cannot tapar (cover) his woman, then he is no man at all."

This man has clearly fulfilled his responsibility to his wife

Where did the Rebozo come from?

The rebozo originates in Asia, where the dervishes and priests of ancient Persia, covered themselves with a type of manta or "xal"—a word transformed in Spanish to “chal”. Interestingly, in Spain it was used as both an overcoat and adornment whose seductive properties were duly noted.

Dama con chal c. 1900 España

It bears repeating that the Moors (North Africans who carried the Persian culture dominated by Islam) occupied the Iberian Peninsula for almost 800 years (710-1492 CE). Across those centuries, artistic and cultural elements from Persia were incorporated into what became Spanish culture.

In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand and Isabel—expansive after their final defeat of the Moors in Grenada—were receptive to funding Cristopher Columbus's expedition to sail West in search of a shorter trade route to Asia.

Popularized in Spain as the manta, this thick woolen cape was first brought to Nueva España (México) by Spanish soldiers under Cortés, who insisted that his men marry the indigenous women with whom they coupled. These marriages undoubtedly intensified pressures to develop appropriate clothing befitting the wives of the Spanish elite in Nueva España. 

The thick Spanish mantle was thus ‘mexicanized’ by combining it with elements of the Mesoamerican tilma (cloak/cape).

Maya nobleman wearing tilma

Aztec Noblewoman wearing tilma 

Perhaps even more importantly, Spanish galleons brought sheep from Spain to grow wool and Chinese silk from Manila. Over time silk and wool were added to the cotton favored by indigenous weavers before the arrival of the Spanish.   

In 1582 the Ordinances of the Royal Audiencia (government) of Nueva España prohibited Negro women, mulatas (Spanish-Negro women, slaves on the hemp and sugar plantations on the Yucatán Peninsula) or mestiza (Spanish-Indigenous women) from wearing the chal. 

The women circumvented the prohibition by redesigning the chal. They changed the garment's size—making it longer and wider—and began dying them indigo with white and pale blue stripes. 

The new rebozo gained widespread acceptance because women whose heads were uncovered were denied access to Mass celebrated in the churches, which thus increased demand for the rebozo.

Purhépecha women kneeling outside a church keeping vigil

In Mexico, then, apace with these changes, the Spanish "chal" gave way to the word rebozo, which comes according to various sources, either from the verb rebozarse "to muffle or cover" or from the verb arrebozarse or “to cover the face with a cape or mantle.”

By the 18th c. the rebozo was in widespread use among the women of Nueva España. About the rebozo, the second Count of Revillagigedo writes: “[All the women] wear it without exception, even the nuns, even the most elegant and rich women—even those from the humblest and poorest pueblos (villages). They use [the rebozo] like a mantilla, like a shawl, [they wear it] on promenades and even in the house; they wrap the rebozo around their shoulders; they put it on their heads; they cover themselves with it and tie it around their bodies…”.

Demure señorita with head covered by a rebozo from Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosí).

Over the years, weavers in Mexico’s diverse regions have individualized their rebozos by creating their own styles and colors. For example, the rebozo in Michoacán is characterized by horizontal lines. Oaxaca and Puebla are home to the classic rebozo known as “de bolita” recognized throughout the Mexican Republic. 

Elegant Rebozos

At the highest levels of Mexican society, women don exquisite rebozos intricately woven from silk.

Elegant señorita models an intricately woven rebozo Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosí)

Rebozo worn fashionably on one shoulder. A workshop on the rebozo was held in Pátzcuaro while we were traveling, so I missed it.  But a friend who attended said participants were shown one hundred different ways to wear the rebozo.

Arguably the best-known and most expensive rebozos come from Santa Maria del Rio (San Luis Potosí), where craftsmanship is the order of the day. Weavers utilize a range of materials, including cotton, artisela and silk. Proximity to the gold and silver mines of San Luis Potosí gave easy access to gold and silver threads.

Rebozo from 1790, in silk with gold and silver (Santa Maria del Rio)

Still Curious?

As I wrote this blog, I came upon some beautiful photos and videos of weavers in a variety of regions around Mexico.

In Spanish, but don't let that discourage you. This 4:28 minute 'short' is my favorite.  It describes the 'de bolita' style of rebozo that originated in Tenancingo, State of México. Before the Spaniards arrived,  weavers had only cotton to work with, and the garments were mostly white. Today's 'de bolita' rebozos are woven only in cotton. It doesn't matter that I don't understand all the Spanish, because the footage of the weavers working at their looms and photos of rebozos worn in past centuries are powerful visual communications:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLK2JyoVSFw

In English: Tia Stephanie (Schneider) runs cultural tours throughout Mexico. She organized this one to explore the art of the rebozo. Her descriptions and photos are beautiful, useful:  http://tiastephanietours.com/blog/?tag=mexican-rebozo

In English:  In 2009 Tia Stephanie joined forces with anthropologist Marta Turok to organize a rebozo fair at Lake Chapala: http://www.focusonmexico.com/Mexican-Rebozos-Wonders-in-Weaving.html

In English: If you're curious about how the rebozo is ingeniously arranged to carry a child without knots, this 3-minute UTube video fills the bill:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLzk0dabHN0

In Spanish: This is the most comprehensive history of the rebozo that I have been able to find:  http://www.mexicolindoyquerido.com.mx/mexico/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110:el-rebozo&catid=190:tradiciones-mexicanas&I

In Spanish:  This description of the art of the rebozo as practiced in San Luis Potosí is excellent:  http://www.angelfire.com/ok/Sanluis/rebozo.html

About bordado (embroidery) in Mexico:  Jenny's Journal post "Art and Friendship in Zirahuén, Michoacán" introduces the compelling crewel-embroidery art of Houston artist Debby Breckeen who, since 2009, has made her home in the community of Zirahuén, Michoacán, near Pátzcuaro.

About bordado in Zirahuén, Michoacán: In June 2011, Debby Breckeen began offering a class in crewel embroidery to the ladies of Zirahuén. Although proficient in the embroidery techniques of deshilado ('Pulled-Thread') and punta cruz ('Cross-Stitch'), the ladies weren't familiar with the crewel embroidery stitches that are Debby's art form.

Jenny's Journal post "The Art of the Zirahuén Ladies Sewing Circle in Michoacán, México" tells the story of the group's first year and shows some of the ladies' work.