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Viewing Grana Cochineal Fina: Best Kept Secret in Oaxaca, MexicoGrana Cochineal Fina: Best Kept Secret in Oaxaca, Mexico
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Most tourists have no idea about one of the most fascinating destinations that the state of Oaxaca in Mexico has to offer children and adults alike. Yet the majority of travelers have a least heard about the natural red dye that originated here. By Alvin Starkman M.A., LL.B. Most tourists have no idea that only a couple of hundred yards off the main highway, a minute or two from the black pottery village, is one the most fascinating destinations that the state of Oaxaca in Mexico has to offer children and adults alike. Yet the majority of travelers have a least heard or read a snippet about the natural red dye that comes from a tiny insect and is used to color the rugs they buy in Teotitlan del Valle, and other products including some of the foods and beverages we eat today - the grana cochinilla fina, commonly known as simply 'cochineal'. I suspect that from reading their guidebooks or speaking to tour guides and taxi drivers, visitors are not generally made aware of the importance of this little bug on the world stage over centuries. Perhaps they think it's enough to buy a tapete and be told it's been dyed with cochineal, and see and touch a few dried insects - rather than spend 40 or 50 minutes in amazement. It might be different if they knew that during the conquest era, next to gold and silver, cochineal was the most valuable commodity known to mankind. In 1758, Oaxaca exported over 1.5 million Spanish pounds of it to Europe, Africa, and Asia for a multitude of uses, including the dying of fabrics such as uniforms worn by British nobility and cavalry. Together known as Tlapanochestli, the quaint research facility, museum, ranch, and open-air teaching environment is located at Santa Maria Coyotepec off a dirt road only 15 minutes from downtown Oaxaca. The attraction is designed to hold the interest of travelers of all ages and all backgrounds, from layperson to academic or professional. Upon entering Tlapanochestli, you'll be greeted by one of the employees who works the ranch, or perhaps one of the two scientists who run the research and teaching programs, engineers Manual Loera Fernandez and Ignacio del Rio Dueñas. You'll learn about the lifecycle of the cochineal, how it attaches itself to and feeds off a certain variety of nopal cactus, and about its harvesting and preparation for use as a dye. Both kids and grownups will delight and be awestruck at having either a live or a dried bug squished on their palm, yielding the scarlet pigment. You'll be taught why not all types of nopal cactus are suitable for production of cochineal, which ones are used to make salads, and about varietals which produce the sweet red edible fruit known as 'tuna', seasonally sold in marketplaces like apples and oranges, and just as often encountered as a sorbet flavor or fresh fruit juice. But your tour is not only about the insect and its host, but includes learning about a plethora of other natural products used to dye foods and fabrics, such pecan shells, oyster conch, pomegranate, marigold, moss, onions, and the añil plant - which produces our blues and indigos. Combining some of these dyes with the cochineal results in yet a further spectrum of color. You'll also discover how to use cochineal in combination with lime juice or baking soda and with different colored natural wools to produce orange and purple hews. One cannot help but marvel at the diversity of commercial products that utilize the cochineal for coloring - such as lipsticks and makeup for those allergic or sensitive to synthetic red and orange tones, Danone yoghurt, Campari, and even Campbell's soups. Often artists have opted to employ cochineal and other natural colors for their work, and accordingly witness walls adorned with examples of fine art are created without the use of chemical-based paints. The photos of Prince Charles' attendance at Tlapanochestli is a testament to the world's continued fascination with the historical and contemporary significance of the grana cochinilla fina. In the gift shop there's an opportunity to purchase dried cochineal for your own use. Buy ink in an attractive wax-sealed bottle, paints and pastes, balls of yarn, soaps, and clothing. For the children, perhaps a paint set consisting of dried cochineal to crush using the miniature clay pestle and mortar, as well as coloring pages with instruction sheets directing how to use the kits and produce your own shades of red, orange and pink. A short video puts the production of cochineal into its proper historical context using facts, anecdotes and mythology, along with colorful imagery, narrated using language easily understood by children. At the same time, those with a background or interest in the sciences will have all of their questions answered. The film outlines: While Oaxacan production and export never did recover from 19th century recessionary factors, the video concludes on an upbeat note, documenting the industry's resurgence in recent decades in the face of widespread health concerns regarding the continued reliance on synthetic substances to dye commercial products. After your cinematic journey back into history, and having gained knowledge about how natural dyes are produced and used in a multitude of applications, your perception of not only Oaxaca, but also the Western World, will have been enhanced forever. Whether you're in Oaxaca shopping for rugs, watching the native vendors in a market, ordering ice cream, or sitting in the comfort of your home and sipping a Campari and soda, you will have gained a new-found understanding. About the Author: Alvin Starkman together with wife Arlene operates Casa Machaya Oaxaca Bed and Breakfast (www.oaxacadream.com). Alvin received his Masters in social anthropology in 1978, and his law degree in 1984. Thereafter he was a litigator in Toronto until taking early retirement. He and his family were frequent visitors to Oaxaca between 1991 and when they became permanent residents in 2004. Alvin reviews restaurants, writes about life and cultural traditions in Oaxaca, tours couples and families to the craft villages, ruins, towns, and their market days and other sights, and is a special consultant to documentary film production companies. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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