Zapotec Post-Earthquake Reconstruction | Oaxaca MX

Among natural dyes made from local plants, we came to understand that caring for the territory means much more than protecting common goods. For the Earth to be in harmony with the opportunities we create from its plants, we also need to learn how to read the harvest and be careful with each process.

A group of 21 women lived a beautiful and meaningful experience alongside José, a local artist who preserves the knowledge of natural dyeing and who also has the generosity to share what he knows.

“There should be more spaces like this for the development of traditional arts, which are becoming less and less present in society. These arts tend to disappear because of globalization and faster processes that often lack the sense of belonging and the essence of something made by hand,” José told us when we asked him what dream had been awakened in him after sharing this workshop with the women of Unión Hidalgo.

José taught us how to work with four plants: cempasúchil, huizache, palo campeche, and indigo. We learned how dyes are obtained, how they are cooked, and how to take care of each application. But beyond the technique, he also shared how dyeing is connected to recognizing and observing the territory: the harvest seasons, the right time to gather certain plants, and how some plants must be harvested at a very specific moment of the year, otherwise they are not good for dyeing.

We also learned about the importance of gathering and caring for local cempasúchil production, the emblematic Day of the Dead flower in Mexico. We talked about the preservation of trees like huizache, which is often not valued because it has thorns, even though it has both dyeing and healing properties. José also gave us very valuable advice on how to preserve fabrics and garments, how to dye them, and how to recognize whether a dye is natural or chemical.

One story that stood out was Aura’s. She had already experimented with dyeing natural palm fiber, one of the materials most used in the town. This workshop inspired her and gave her the confidence to bring these techniques into her own creations.

We have shared before about the women we accompany in Unión Hidalgo, Oaxaca. Most of them are merchants, and they have come together through recognizing themselves as caregivers of others. Together, we have reflected on a question that stays with us: who cares for those of us who care?

This time, we painted ourselves in color to understand that when we turn our eyes toward the treasures of the territory and the care they need, we can also see ourselves reflected there and strengthen one another in community.

This workshop also opened the door to exchanging handmade garments and other creations for sale. Una Mano para Oaxaca’s workshops are not only spaces to share knowledge and encourage productivity. They are also spaces where stories, ways of life, and love for the territory are shared.

Thank you for helping make another space possible for creating meaningful change in women’s lives.

Dear community,

During our most recent gathering of women in Ranchu Gubiña (Unión Hidalgo, OaxacA) , a Zapotec community, we created a space of care and safe listening for those going through exhausting and painful situations related to caring for their homes and families. It became a moment to pause, listen to one another, and support each other through our shared experiences, recognizing that the care we offer to others often leaves little space for caring for ourselves.

It became clear that the wisdom of our grandmothers is still alive: their knowledge of medicinal plants has sustained the health of generations of women. This collective memory reminds us that care is also knowledge, knowledge that is passed down, practiced, and protected within community.

These reflections emerged during the Herbal Learning Circle for sexual and reproductive health, led by Dr. Cinthia. Together we spoke about the central role that medicinal plants play in our lives, and about how, even though we recognize the plants from our communities and their healing properties, we are often so disconnected from caring for our own bodies that we forget to nurture them.

Dr. Cinthia guided us through the three pillars of self-care: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Through a body-mapping exercise where we identified the places where we carry constant pain, we reflected on how, for women caregivers, the body often holds many of the burdens we carry in our daily lives.

The gathering revealed a deep need among women for safe spaces where they can speak, listen, and recognize themselves in one another. For many of us, these circles are a reminder that we are not alone in the challenges of care, health, and everyday life. We also reflected on how plants and our responses to their scents and aromas,can help us better understand what our bodies need and reconnect with forms of care that have long been present in our communities.

During the gathering, Dr. Cinthia shared her experience:

“When I began the workshop, I asked the group a question. Many women already knew some plants and remedies. Several were going through menopause and were looking for support during this stage of life. Others mentioned depression and sadness as emotions they wanted to address. When they introduced themselves, I realized there had already been previous work around menopause.They had practices such as looking at themselves in the mirror and affirming that they love themselves. I was glad to see there was already an awareness of self-care and self-love.”

One of the participants shared that at this moment in her life she felt deeply isolated, and that in these gathering spaces she was able to find comfort. This learning circle also allowed us to develop new collective skills to produce our own plant-based medicine, while strengthening the group’s interest in recognizing ourselves as agents of collective self-care.

We are deeply grateful to the GlobalGiving community for continuing to accompany the dreams of the women who live in the Istmo de Tehuantepec Your support makes it possible for these spaces to exist and for the knowledge of our communities to keep flourishing.