THE ARTISANS
EPIFANIA & VICTOR | WEAVERS | TEOTITLÁN DEL VALLE
Epifania and Victor are weavers in the Zapotec community of TEOTITLÁN DEL VALLE. I met Epifania and Victor on my first visit to Oaxaca on a tour with Fundación En Vía. Epifania is supported by En Vía programing, and receives interest-free loans to help operate the family weaving business. The skilled artistry evident in the woven textiles they produce is a result of multigenerational traditions in hand-operated standing loom weaving, one which now includes their daughter, Karina, who learned the art of weaving when she was a young girl.
I purchased my very first tapete (woven rug) from Epifania and Victor years ago, the Zapotec Arrow Indigo/Natural pattern. The simple, geometric pattern continues to bring me great joy to this day while adding an eclectic and meaningful design element to my home. This design can be yours, along with these stunning pieces now available online: The Zapotec Arrow Handwoven Wool Tapete | The Black Diamond/Natural Handwoven Wool Tapete. A few photos from Epifania and Victor's taller...
COMMUNITY: TEOTITLÁN DEL VALLE is located in the foothills of the Sierra Juarez mountains in the Valles Centrales (Central Valleys) region of Oaxaca. It is one of the oldest Zapotec villages in the region where the Zapotec language and culture is still a mainstay of community life. The village is well known for its textiles, especially rugs, which are woven on hand-operated standing looms. The highly skilled traditions in weaving date back to 500 B.C.E. and are passed down from generation to generation.