WHAT WAS THE CLOTHING OF THE ZAPOTECS LIKE? - ART - 2025

The clothing of the Zapotecs has varied over time. Although it was influenced by other peoples, the Zapotecs are deeply proud of their traditions, which is why their cultural manifestations are still maintained and celebrated.

The Zapotecs are a Mexican indigenous people that inhabit the state of Oaxaca and part of the neighboring states; especially on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Archaeological evidence places them in this region for approximately 3,500 years, between the 15th and 14th centuries BC.

Zapotec woman dress

The pre-Hispanic Zapotec culture was very rich. They built step pyramids, funerary monuments and stadiums for the ball game. In addition, they developed a complete writing system that evolved from hieroglyphs to phonetic writing. They were skillful artisans who worked goldsmithing and ceramics.

Currently, the Zapotec people are fully aware of this ancestral knowledge and are concerned with preserving it.

And that can be seen in the changes that their way of dressing has undergone and how the typical costume has become a way to reinforce their Zapotec identity and has even established itself as a reference throughout Mexico for the entire world.

The clothing of the Zapotecs: origins and characteristics

Although there are no precise historical data, the first evidences of the way of dressing of the Zapotecs are found in their primitive sculpture.

In them, it can be seen that both sexes remained with their torso naked, the men wearing a kind of loincloth or mastate and the women wearing a rustic cloth skirt that they themselves made, just to cover the private parts, their hair loose, without ornaments and barefoot.

In more recent pieces of ceramics and in the codices, it is possible to observe the incorporation of a rustic coat, blouse or huipil as a consequence of the Spanish influence, the Christian morals during the Conquest of Mexico and to avoid impertinent glances.

In Zapotec culture, women play an important role since it is based on their particular vision of matriarchy. From the beginning, the Zapotecs and their way of dressing would generate admiration among those who observed them.

This is how it is recorded by the French religious and traveler Charles Etienne Brasseur who would describe the Tehuana woman (who inhabited the Isthmus of Tehuantepec) in the mid-nineteenth century:

Centuries later, these changes in the clothing of the Zapotecs and their fame would be accentuated with the creation of the railroad tracks, which meant greater contact with fabrics and foreign merchandise.

In this way, influenced from the Philippines by the embroideries of the Manila shawl, the floral motifs of the Andalusian silk embroideries and the hollanes of Holland, the most well-known attire of the Zapotec culture today was formed: the Tehuana costume.

The Tehuana costume

This costume is the one used by the Zapotec women of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Essentially, it consists of a huipil, petticoat, holán and various accessories that vary according to the occasion.

The huipil and petticoat are made in velvet, satin, angel skin or peach skin and are usually richly embroidered with floral motifs and are very colorful.

The wedding dresses are made in white and the mourning ones in dark colors. The gala dress is used in traditional festivals such as the candles or the Guelaguetza. The most remarkable thing is that no two suits are the same.

The main characteristic of Zapotec clothing is that it does not differentiate social classes since, beyond the occasion and the quality of the materials, all women wear the same garments.

Of all the traditional Mexican clothing, the Tehuana costume is the most entrenched in the foreign imagination.

Perhaps it is due to exposure in 20th century art and cinema. From María Félix's clothing in the movie Tizoc with Pedro Infante, to the works of Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Tina Modotti.

The huipil

The huipil is a short-sleeved blouse, made of a rectangular fabric, made up of several joined parts that are folded in half and with an opening for the head, and then fitted to the body on the sides.

They are made in a wide variety of colors and designs woven and embroidered by hand or mechanically.

The petticoat

The petticoat is a skirt that must match the motifs and colors of the huipil. It also has a lace and is combined with a skirt, called holán, made of a hard and starched fabric that serves as a background or armor. This combination of petticoat and holán is called rabona.

Footwear and accessories

Traditionally, Zapotec women went barefoot. But then they used sandals called huaraches and, currently, low-heeled shoes.

A fundamental aspect in the Tehuana costume is the headdress, since it does not have only an aesthetic intention.

Zapotec Huarache. Image via Young Artisans

Although it should be combined with the motifs of the rest of the clothing, its main function is to indicate the sentimental situation of the woman: if it is used on the left side it means that she is single and without commitment. If it is a married or engaged woman, the headdress will be worn on the right side.

Another striking garment is the glow or bidaniro, which is used on special occasions or to go to mass.

It consists of an opening where it fits the face, surrounding it with a large lace cut. This piece would be representative because it was on the 10 Mexican peso bill after winning a typical Mexican costume contest.

Other accessories, such as gold jewelry, can be part, as the occasion allows: bracelet, bangle, bracelets, pectorals and chokers.

The male outfit

In the case of men, the typical clothing was blanket clothing with hats and huaraches. At present, black dress pants, white guayaberas or Philippine pants, huaraches, bandana scarf and hat are used.

References

1. "Regional costume of Tehuana: The dress that wraps the Mexican woman, in fabrics of beauty, tenderness and tradition." Retrieved on June 2, 2017 at Hojaescrita.wordpress.com.
2. "Zapotecs". Retrieved on June 02, 2017 at basica.primariatic.sep.gob.mx.
3. Becerra de la Cruz, Gilda (2013). “The Tehuana costume: Its transformation and representation in art. The conformation of a social image between myth and reality ”. Retrieved on June 2, 2017 at comitemelendre.blogspot.com.
4. Campbell, Howard, and Susanne Green (1999). “History of the representations of the Zapotec women of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. In: Studies on Contemporary Cultures. Vol. V. No. 9, Colima, June 1999, pp. 89-112.
5. Ramos, Oscar (2016). "The headdress of the Tehuana woman." Retrieved on June 2, 2017 in revista.escaner.cl.