THE 5 MOST POPULAR TYPICAL SONORA CRAFTS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The typical crafts of Sonora are beautiful cultural manifestations that revive the ancestral traditions. It is popular art that continues to express the customs of various ethnic groups, such as the Yaqui, the Mayos or the Seris.

Sonoran crafts are closely related to the celebration of traditional festivals. Popular artists not only maintain traditions but continue to innovate designs and techniques, enriching production.

Some of the most outstanding crafts are the pieces that make up the clothing for typical dances.

They also make furniture based on leather and wood, tables and stools, among other elements. In addition, they make sculptures, baskets, necklaces and embroidered dresses.

You may also be interested in the traditions of Sonora or its history.

The 5 typical crafts of Sonora

1- Ceremonial pieces

Masks, costumes and musical instruments are in high demand due to the annual agricultural-religious calendar that they still respect.

The most elaborate pieces are the deer head, masks, necklaces, Pharisee or chapayecas rosaries, belts and tenabaris, horns or rattles, drums, scratchers, violins and harps.

Men participate a lot in this activity, not only in the collection of raw materials but also in the design, elaboration of ceremonial pieces and wood or stone carving.

2- Sculptures

The typical sculptures of Sonora are made of ironwood, one of the hardest woods.

These sculptures are made by the original Yaqui and Seri inhabitants. They carry a very handmade process.

Originally men gave the shape of the animal that they wanted to represent with a machete. The women were in charge of finishing the polishing and filing of the pieces.

The initiator of this type of sculpture was José Astorga Encinas during the sixties. According to the story that is told, José was guided in his dreams by his ancestors, who taught him to work with wood.

The earliest designs represented aquatic animals such as seals, dolphins, fish, and sharks. Also birds like seagulls and pelicans.

Sometimes, due to the scarcity of wood, stone carvings are made that are collected from caves, the coast or Tiburon Island.

Currently, due to the commercial success of these sculptures, some non-indigenous people have been making them industrially.

They are made with lathes and on a large scale. This causes deforestation and scarcity of wood.

3- Shell and bone necklaces

It is very detailed and fine work that women do. These necklaces have been made since pre-Hispanic times.

The main materials are shells and snake bones. In addition, sea snails, rattlesnake vertebrae, field seeds, flowers, scales, fish bones and octopus suckers are used.

4- Basketry

Another Sonoran craft is basket weaving with torote or palm sticks. The baskets have geometric designs that represent desert plants or animals.

There are two main models: the tray-shaped "asjispox" and the "saptim" that have a ceremonial purpose. They are known internationally.

5- Making and embroidery on fabrics

The women make and embroider garments of their traditional dress: shawls, blouses and skirts. They also make dolls representative of their ethnic group and traditional toys.

References

1. Diana B. Muñiz-Márquez, Rosa M. Rodríguez-Jasso, Raúl Rodríguez-Herrera, Juan C. Contreras Esquivel and Cristóbal N. Aguilar-González * 2013 Volume 5, No 10. Scientific Journal of the Autonomous University of Coahuila
2. Rosa Martínez Ruiz (2010) Studies and proposals for the rural environment. Traditions and customs of the Yaquis of Sonora. Indigenous Autonomous University of Mexico. Mochicahui, Sinaloa. uaim.edu.mx
3. Community: Information and Documentation Unit of the Indigenous Peoples of Northwest Mexico. Institutional Repository of the Gerardo Cornejo Murrieta Library of El Colegio de Sonora. library.colson.edu.mx
4. Restor Rodríguez, María Macrina (2004) Notes on indigenous folk art from Sonora. The College of Sonora. library.colson.edu.mx
5. Artes de México, «Cestería», number 38, National Council for Culture and the Arts, Mexico, 1997.