Chimayó weaving

by Helen R. Lucero

This study is the first to examine the Rio Grande Hispanic weaving tradition from 1870 to the present. In the past, the story of the weavers of northern New Mexico has often been distorted in popular and scholarly literature by perpetuating romantic lore that has surrounded the craft and by labeling products for the tourist and curio markets as inauthentic and inferior. Chimayo Weaving emphasizes that the long tradition of Hispanic weaving was born in the interaction among weavers, merchants, and consumers; it explores this trade and how it has changed over time. The authors have examined the historic records of trade in woven goods as well as actual textiles in private and public collections and have interviewed many contemporary weavers. Taken together, these perspectives form a case study of the adaptability of a craft tradition to the modern world.