Matriarchal Project
Women of Tehuantepec, Mexico 2005

Paintings
by Katerina Karaskova & Simon Bird

This is the last surviving Zapotec culture which according to some historians also use to be a strong matriarchal society. Today we were told little is preserved of the old ways, however, during our stay we did see a number of events that could point towards a once powerfull women run culture.

Tehuana

Many women in the market still wear the traditional tops which was adopted by the famous Mexican artist Freda Kahlo. The market place is the social hub of the Tehuana women gossiping, organising business, politics and family money. The men during the day are usually either drinking or sleeping back at the house.

Acrylic on canvas paper, 25x32 cm
by Katerina

Resting after work

Picture of fat woman by local.

Men work the fields from 3am growing crops for the women to sell at the market. Some say they drive the men until they drop. I saw this scene in the village of SanBlas, 10 minutes from Tehuantepec. Here it seems is the strong hold of the women.

Acrylic on canvas, 40x30 cm
by Simon

Bar fight

At about 7pm when we were leaving the bar a women walks in grabs another women who was sitting at the bar and this scene breaks out. We stay to sketch the excitement. Apart from the barman the other men in the bar stay out of it.

Acrylic on canvas, 40x30 cm
by Simon

Women and Men drinking by local man.

Money keepers

We saw many men sat around the streets in SanBlas drunken on the local Mescal. They would look hungrily at passing women not for affection but for more money.

Acrylic on canvas, 30x40 cm
by Simon

Men's work, women's work

Showing men in traditional white tilling the fields beneath the back drop of the mountains that skirt the Tehuantepec, In the foreground are the women selling the veg at the market. Although many of the men no longer wear white they can be seen in the fields from 3am. Women do not help them. Like wise in town men do not help the women but the women are hanging onto traditional cloths more.

Acrylic on Amate handmade paper, 39x59 cm
by Katerina

Sasteria

Men working inside making cloths, women outside gossiping in the market.

Acrylic on canvas, 45x60cm
by Katerina

Fiesta

Situated in the street in SanBlas. Women drink to excess but still manage to dance with each other and look respectable. The men also drink to excess but do not dance instead they start drunken brawls and fall around on the floor. Beer is endless and free.

Acrylic on paper, 60x42 cm
by Katerina

Drunks in Sanblas

It was a hot afternoon and I was shifting places to try to stay in the shade, men opposite didn't seemed bothered by the sun. They would come out of the refresqueria and just start slobbering around where ever. Lucikly I was protected by a small gang of kids so they couldn't see what I was doing.

Acrylic on handmade mate paper, 60x40 cm
by Simon

Night time in Tehuantepec

Every night in the plaza of Tehuantepec two old women in old fashioned cloths sold pickled plums and crab apples. It was obvious times had caught them up with all the bright lights that now surround them.

Acrylic on paper, 29x21 cm
by Katerina