The Village of Textiles: Teotitlan Del Valle - Review

Arts & Activities, Dec, 2001 by Barbara Herberholz

[A-V/VISUAL/CD-ROM] THE VILLAGE OF TEXTILES: Teotitlan Del Valle. Video with Teacher's Guide/20 min./$39.95. Level: Middle and High School. Crizmac Art & Cultural Education Materials, Inc., P.O. Box 65928, Tucson, AZ 85728, (800) 913-8555.

This colorful video features the Vasquez family who lives in a village near Oaxaca, Mexico, as they demonstrate the art of using wool--from dyeing it with natural materials (various plants and insect larvae), carding, spinning it on a wheel (introduced to Mexico by the Spanish) and weaving. The village itself is located in the hills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, with most of the local families involved in the production and sale of these wool rugs called "tapetes." The designs are based on ancient archaeological sites, images found in Zapotec mythology, and traditional as well as modern motifs. The Teacher's Guide contains learning objectives, vocabulary, discussion questions, ideas for making art, and content standards as addressed by the National Visual Arts Standards.--B.H. For information about this program, circle No. 397 on the Reader Service Card.