Ma. Trinidad González García relates, “the back-strap loom was part of my life long before I was born.” Her mother and grandmother dedicated their lives to weaving to be the sustenance of their family. For this reason, her mother taught Trinidad and her three sisters the art of loom from a very young age. When she was 10 years old, Trinidad wove ayates (a cloth used to make a cloak-like garment made from the fiber of the maguey plant, similar to henequen or sisal), rebozos and huipiles. It was because of this craft, that Trinidad and her sisters and brothers were able to study and each finish a university education.

Trinidad graduated as a veterinarian. However, unlike her sisters and brothers, she was the only one who decided to return to her roots. For some years, she dedicated herself to her profession, but never left the threads and the loom — sometimes to have an extra income and sometimes only for the pleasure of creating. Sitting down to weave always made her feel more complete, more creative and more connected to the community. So, little by little, she began to notice that the loom made her feel more alive. She left her career and returned to weaving fulltime.

In 2013, with the support of her family, they opened their first store Artesanías Domitzu, a family business dedicated to the elaboration of crafts on the back-strap loom. With a reputation for quality, the business grew and eventually they added another store. Now, not purely a family business, they are a social enterprise in which the community participates.

The loom has become one of Trinidad’s most important treasures, because it has brought some of the most satisfying experiences of her life. Not only has weaving given her the opportunity to win state and national awards, to present lectures and teach courses, it has given her a new dignity as a craftswoman and she will leave an amazing legacy for her daughter

In the team of "Artesanías Domitzu" they currently have 10 women: 7 artisans, 2 seamstresses and 1 designer — some weaving full-time, others give free classes to members of the community. They are one of the few families that preserve the back-strap technique of "tres alzaderas" or "doble vista", techniques that due to their complexity are in danger of extinction. Revitalizing the use of the back-strap loom has allowed them to understand their identity as part of the Hñahñu people, which at the same time, has led them to acquire the commitment to preserve the craft.

The technique of tres alzaderas or doble vista is very complicated and is known in several states in Mexico, however, it is virtually unused today except for Trinidad’s group. The very thin cotton threads make the work more laborious. She learned this technique from a visiting 78 year-old maestra from another region when she was 12 years old. At first, she used wool and synthetic yarn because the threads were thicker and easier to manipulate. Eventually, her knowledge of the technique was perfect and she could begin using the very thin cotton threads that are the cornerstone of tres alzaderas. Tres alzaderas or doble vista uses more palos (long piece of hard, fine wood used to make the pole for doubling the weave and which helps or replaces the lower pole at specific times) are used since the warp (horizontal element whose continuous intertwining produces rows that generate the textile surface) is much longer. The additional items needed for this technique are: 3 bastones, 2 machetes grueso (thick), 2 machetes delgado (thin), 2 agujas (needles), 3 alzadores, 2 separadors, 1 medido.

The group has won many awards such as: Third Place at the Gran Premio Nacional de Arte Popular in 2015 in Mexico City, First Place in Concurso de Fibras Vegetales in 2015 in Campeche, Campeche, and Third place at the Gran Premio Nacional del Arte Popular in 2018, México City. Trinidad’s mother, Martina García, has won the Presidential Grand Masters Award for Arte Popular and her daughter, Frida Díaz, has won First Place in the Young Creators of Mexican Are Popular Contest.

Av. Nicolás Mariscal s/n,

El Mejay

Chilcuautla, Hidalgo

738 724 7403 casa; 772 111 0983 celular

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