The Barrio de Mexicanos was founded by the Mexicas (Aztecs), Spanish allies during the conquest of the Chiapas Highlands, as part of the colonial city of Ciudad Real (1528), which is now known as San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. The Mexicas brought their knowledge with them, and the district soon specialized in indigo dyeing, known as añil, and cotton weaving on European-style floor looms. This dyed cloth was used to make skirts, sashes, and scarves for Tsotsil and Tseltal women in the region up until the twentieth-first century. Today, members of the family Álvarez Montoya are the last knowledge holders of this tradition.
This project documents the making of an indigo vat and the dyeing of cotton with local ingredients, following a recipe passed down through generations in the Barrio de Mexicanos. Working closely with descendant community members, we will audio- and video-record the family Álvarez Montoya’s indigo-making process, capturing the steps involved in this embodied technique, from the cleaning of yarns and ingredient selection to their warping. Additionally, using photography and written documentation, we will create a comprehensive inventory of indigo-dyed pieces of the Pellizzi and the Fomento Cultural Banamex Collections at the Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya, involving the family Álvarez Montoya and Tsotsil artisans in their documentation. Overall, this project aims to document the technological, economic, and cultural knowledge behind this 500-year-old blue-shade industry, an endangered technique due to the globalization of the textile industry, the introduction of chemical dyes, an aging population, and the lack of interest from younger generations.
PI: Katarin María Laruelle Aránguiz
Collaborators: Karla Faro Ruiz; Karina Flores García; José Emmanuel Hernández Montoya
Research Location: San Cristóbal de Las Casas (Chiapas), Mexico
Host Institution: Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya, A.C.
Top Banner Image: Don Francisco Álvarez Montoya showing skeins of indigo-dyed cotton in various shades of blue. Photo credit: Karla Faro Ruiz / Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya, A.C., 2025.