SAN JOSE ORIENTE

Immediately evident upon arrival is San Jose’s daily attire for women; a huipil, a traditional garment style worn by Maya women that unfortunately has fallen into disuse in the region of Yucatan.  A customary red comb is also used to gather their hair. You can see ladies going about in the performance of daily tasks with their unique and precious ensembles of different and colorful drawings ranging from fruits, animals, and flowers, which take fifteen days to a month and a half to complete according to the laborious embroidery.

The embroidery made here is different than the rest of the state; broader and protruding lattice in more vivid color threads, as in any other community.  Besides the colorful hues feature, the strip of white embroidered cloth left between the front and the lower huipil is very small. The garments in turn are short and broad, as designed for the culturally mixed Maya.  This work of art, which requires time and dedication, is what makes this community so unique and wonderful.

Maya language predominates in this community; very few speak and understand Spanish. Everyone communicates in Maya. The youngest members serve as mediators with the Spanish-speaking visitor, but even they pretend not to understand it.

Because of their needs, some women sell their huipiles in nearby communities. They have no marketing systems nor do they produce them for sale. That is to say that they make them and keep them because it is their daily clothes, it is not their livelihood, is its tradition. The price of a huipil suit in the city of Mérida ranges around $1500 pesos and in this community, the prices average $500 pesos.

A visit to San Jose Oriente is really a special treat, since in addition to being warm and friendly people we can acquire beautiful huipil. suits.