Frog Face Painting

Alvin Starkman MA, LL.B.

Try searching the Americas to find the creators of folk art with more form, symbolism and importance to the development and maintenance of their culture than those of indigenous origin in Oaxaca (wa-HAW-ka) , one of the southernmost Mexican states.

Many so-called experts in folk art have mistakenly written that the original wood sculpture dates from Oaxaca tradition at fifty or sixty years, a few sculptors residing in one of the central valleys of Oaxaca , a few miles from the capital of the state of the same name. The error has been equating the recent commercialization of the art form with its origins, and ignoring pre-Hispanic roots and subsequent development.

Jacobo angeles lives with his wife Maria and two children in San Marta­n Tilcajete, one of the three main native Zapotec villages, where most residents earn their living by carving and painting colorful figures, often generically alebrijes. The others are Arrazola and La Uniałn Tejalapan.

At age 12 Jacobo began learning to carve from his father. Later, he was framed by the village elders. "In recent decades our profession has undoubtedly changed dramatically," Jacobo explains, "with the use of more synthetic paints, a tremendous increase in the range of figures are carved, and domestic and international demand for our Sculptures growing exponentially and affecting how and what we produce. But remember, my ancestors were carving animals right here in this region before the arrival of Spaniards in the 1500s. And we were only using paint colors natural that we derived from fruits and vegetables, plants and tree bark, clay, and even insects. In my family we still use what we find around us to paint for our figures and our choice for wood continues to be the branches of the copal tree.

San Marta­n Tilcajete is located approximately 40 minutes drive from the city of Oaxaca, along a road leading to the cities of the state's Pacific resort, including one of the oldest ports, Puerto Escondido. Puerto Escondido is a hub for the export of coffee and other cash crops during colonial times, but is now a popular beach destination for Mexican and international vacationers. Many travelers combine their sun and sand holiday with a visit to Oaxaca, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in search of unique pieces of folk art including dance masks, pottery and clay figures, rugs and tapestries, and antiques from the colonial period forward. And of course there are the pre-Hispanic ruins, galleries, impressive churches Dominican, museums and the renowned cuisine of Oaxaca.

"My ancestors used a schedule of 20 days," Jacobo continues, "and each day was represented by a different creature. So each person had an animal Zapotec with whom he had a connection, and each animal has certain characteristics that carried over to the individual. For example, the jaguar represents power and ultimate strength, the frog is characterized by honesty and openness, the coyote careful observation, the turtle always a troublemaker prone to breaking the rules, the eagle technical power and strategic, and so on. My people used to carve figures of just these 20 animals. They began whittling as little chance for people to keep in a revered niche in the home, or worn around the neck as amulets. They also burned more figures for their children to use as toys. "

After much sampling, an almost forgotten story emerges of the use of decoys and other wooden materials. Jacobo reveals: "My people used a variety of methods to attract different types of game, but for hunting birds of prey, rabbits and deer, yes they sometimes used deco.