Huatulco: Culture and Traditions

Local Rug Weaving

When traveling to a new vacation destination, the best way to truly get a feel for the area is to immerse yourself in its culture and traditions. What better way to do that than to get a glimpse of an art that originates from Teotitlán del Valle, a village located a little over three hours north of Huatulco…

This village is notorious for its intricately woven rugs, tapestries, and bags that have all been carefully handcrafted. Artisans from this village who have spent the better part of their lives perfecting their craft, commonly relocate to tourist centers to share their art and culture with visitors.

Located in the front entrance of the Museum of Oaxacan Crafts, just off the main square in La Crucecita, you will find a man by the name of Lorenzo Hernendez, a local rug weaver. Following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather, Lorenzo started making rugs at the very young age of 12, carrying on the family tradition stretching back several generations.

Making rugs/tapestries is no easy task! Lorenzo starts his day off at 9am and has been known to stay making rugs until as late as 9pm. These 12 hour work days over the course of three weeks result in a beautiful hand crafted piece of Mexico. So before you start to haggle for a cheap price, think about the countless hours of labor spent to create a single mid-sized rug.

As far as prices go you can expect to pay approximately $300-$1500 depending on the size of the rug. Due to the size and nature of some of the rugs, special care needs to be considered when thinking about transportation. Anything too big to fit into a carry-on will require a simple phone call to your chosen airline – generally not a last minute purchase decision.