A Dyeing Textbook Revives a Dying Craft

At the time Taller Leñateros was founded synthetic aniline dyes had so completely replaced natural dyes that the original recipes, passed down for centuries, were on the verge of being lost. Ambar Past visited the many Indian villages surrounding San Cristóbal and interviewed grandmothers who remembered their grandmothers dyeing yarn using natural materials. Ambar began collecting recipes, though frequently only portions of recipes had survived. By experimenting it was possible to reconstruct the ancient alchemy that was done in generations past. In the process new natural dyes were invented as well. This led to the founding of the Natural Dye School for Native American Women. Ambar crisscrossed Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua holding workshops. Since each event was site-specific, a different set of recipes was taught in each area depending on what plants and materials were available locally.

From the start there was a need for a written record that would preserve and pass on the new and rediscovered recipes to future generations. In 1980 one of the first publications of Taller Leñateros was "Bon tintes naturales," an 80-page bilingual (Spanish/Tzotzil) instruction manual for creating natural dyes. Inexpensively offset-printed on newsprint, the book contained recipes, plant illustrations, poetry, charts and a fold-out map for locating supplies in San Cristóbal. Each plant description and recipe is in a separate section so it can be taken out to be used or shared individually. The text sheets are presented in a colorful silkscreened folder with a bookmark of braided threads dyed using the techniques found in the book. The Natural Dye School was a complete success. Within ten years many more natural dyes had been invented, teachers were training a new generation of teachers, and natural dyes were again being used for ceremonial and commercial purposes.

The dye school still exists. Women trained in the program bought their own building and it houses a natural dye cooperative. "Bon tintes naturales" is still in print and in its second edition.

Conjuring Spells and Drinking Songs

After the success of the Natural Dye School, interest at Taller Leñateros turned more and more to papermaking and book production. The Mayans had a long history of bookmaking before the arrival of the Spanish invaders and books were always important to the San Cristóbal collective. Up to this point several books of poetry, a children's ecological book and a collection of autobio- graphical portraits of Tzotzil women had been published. A desire for more books and an interest in recycling fueled a growing interest in handmade paper.

Even before launching the workshop Ambar had gone out to remote Indian villages and to record the songs, poems and stories of Mayan women. In time, she recorded hundreds of hours and assembled the most comprehensive collection of Mayan womens' literary works, mostly in the form of conjuring spells and drinking songs. It was only left to share the results of this research in book form.

Over 150 people worked for 23 years to make the book possible. The title is "Conjuros y ebriedades, cantos de mujeres mayas" (Conjuring Spells and Drinking Songs of Mayan Women). The finished volume measures 25 cm (about 10") square, has 200 pages and 50 original silkscreen illustrations by Tzotzil and Tzeltal women. The end papers are recycled paper with palm fronds, logwood and soot added. The three-dimensional cover was created by Norwegian sculptor Gitte Daehlin and is cast from paper made of recycled cardboard boxes, corn silk and coffee. The edition consists of 1000 copies plus an additional 650 deluxe copies printed on special handmade paper.

The most remarkable accomplishment of this entire project is that it is the first book written, illustrated, printed, bound and published by the Mayan people in 1,000 years.

Preserving a Literary and Artistic Heritage

In 1992 work began on "La jícara" (The Gourd), a literary, artistic and historical journal to preserve and promote Mayan culture. From the start it was decided to publish only historical documents and material either created for the journal or never before published. A trial edition (Number "zero") of 200 copies was released in 1992 with selections of Chiapas literature and artwork from the Tzeltal potters of Amatenango. Ambar proudly recalls, "the copies lasted ten minutes." The first "official" issue (Number 1) of 400 copies came out in 1994 and those copies were quickly snapped up as well. Issue Number 2, on the theme "Chiapas 1994," carried this note in the colophon: "we don't even know how it was done, but there are 700 of these." Future issues would grow to 1,000 copies and explore the topics of witchcraft ("this codex was found by Taller Leñateros in the Lacandon jungle"), Chiapas de Corzo (celebrating the poets, writers and lacquerware artists who live on Chiapas de Corzo street in San Cristóbal), the artists and writers of Oaxaca (a neighboring state), and the stories and designs of the Lacandon jungle.

Expanding Creative Limits to Celebrate Peace

Previously, in 1986 the Taller decided to put together a collection of literary pieces, artwork and reprints of historical documents to celebrate the end of more than 30 years of civil war in Guatemala. There was one problem: the war was lingering on and peace seemed illusive. It would be ten more years before this project could be realized.

In 1996 the miracle happened: a permanent peace finally came to Guatemala after decades of civil war. The issue of "La jícara" planned ten years earlier could now be published. There were no creative limits set for the special issue celebrating peace in Guatemala. Archives were searched for important and revealing official documents and personal letters that could be included. Some time previously Ambar had found a stationery store in Tuxla Gutiérrez, the capital of Chiapas, that had gone out of business in the 1920's. There she discovered a treasure trove of vintage stationery and envelopes. These were used to reprint the historical documents. Often, readers will open their copy of "La jícara" and exclaim, "This is an original letter!" No, it is one of 1,000 reproductions printed on authentic period paper and envelopes. In the course of collecting material for this issue, Ambar visited the demobilization camps where she interviewed a 75-year-old guerrilla fighter who had joined the resistance movement in 1960. He had been fighting throughout the entire 36 years of civil war.

Much of the artwork for the issue came from the Guatemalan village of Rabinal. Cover-sized pieces of cardboard were passed out and a contest was held among the women for the best designs. The first place prize was 300 quetzals, or about one month's wages (there were other prizes for everyone who participated). The winning design was silkscreened in red, yellow and black for the actual covers. Another contest among the men yielded a selection of gourd carving designs that were also used in the magazine.

The finished issue (Number 8), which was ready in 1998, is a triumph of literature, art, design and paper engineering. Twenty people needed eight months to print all the pieces which are offset printed with 150 different silkscreen impressions added. It took two and a half years to assemble the 78 pieces into the final copies of "La jícara." In addition to the basic concertina structure of 115 pages, there are envelopes with letters and telegrams inside, fold-out pages, overlays, tipped-in artwork, books within books, a full-size newsheet from 1968, postcard enclosures, a separate English translation booklet and many other surprises. The entire construction is wrapped with a string threaded through a carved gourd (imagine carving 1,000 gourds!). It is a masterful accomplishment worthy of the Maya's pre- Hispanic bookmaking tradition.

After a Rest, Once Again the Excitement Builds

It is not hard to imagine a team of exhausted bookmakers collapsing after having produced 1,000 copies of a complicated and demanding publication, but work is already underway on the next issue. Even a cooperative workshop needs a stong "jefe" (boss) and for the first formative decades of Taller Lañateros Ambar served as the guiding force. But the time comes when a group takes on a life of its own and such leadership is no longer a requirement. The collective is now run by a board of directors and Ambar is enjoying more freedom to develop personal writing and book projects. At Taller Leñateros plans are being made for a Tzotzil/English edition of the Conjuring Spells book and a CD recording of magic spells, singing at wakes, lullabies, and hexes to protect and punish.

As always, new sheets of paper are being created and new designs carved for prints and posters. In all, including those who gather raw materials, grow flowers, design the art, the singers and chamans who provide the literature, sales staff, silkscreeners, offset and block printers, and administration staff—all of whom are paid for their work—Taller Leñateros supports 150 members, from about 30 families. The taller provides workshops that instruct a growing number of Mexican and international paper and book enthusiasts. The Leñateros continue to enrich the book arts world with handmade paper, prints, posters and artist books, combining a rich Mayan tradition with contemporary ideas and innovations.

Note:  This article originally appeared in the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild Newsletter, Volume 19, Number 2 (Summer 2001).  Copyright Edward H. Hutchins 2001

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