oaxacan woodcarving

 

 

 

 

Oaxaca (wa-HAH-ka): Dry and mountainous state in Mexico . It is the largest and poorest state.

Oaxaca Valley : Located just outside the city of Oaxaca . People there make many crafts including: jewelry, pottery, cloth, candles, baskets, fireworks, and woodcarvings.

 Copalillo (cope-ah-lee-yo): The name of the tree where wood is taken from to create the woodcarvings. This tree is only found in the Oaxacan Valley .

 Machete: A long knife used by Oaxacan men to carve the wood sculptures.

 

 

 For more information on Oaxaca go to: www.oaxaca.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Oaxaca Valley the entire family works on the making of wood carvings. Traditionally, the men carve the wood, the small children and elders sand the carvings smooth, and the women paint the intricate designs. Carving is passed down through generations of family members and is a very important part of life in the Oaxacan Valley .

 

A man by the name of Manuel Jiménez created a revolution in woodcarving by using the copalillo wood found in his native Oaxaca Valley . All the carvers today use this wood. Manuel also created an international market for selling traditional Oaxacan woodcarvings; today pieces are sold all over the world.