Portable Collections Program
Mexican Folk Art
Table of Contents
Checklist: What’s in the Case? –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1
Information for the Teacher: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 2
What Can You Do to Prepare Before the Case Arrives?
How to Handle Museum Objects
Teaching Students How to Look at Museum Objects
About Mexican Folk Art
Information about the Objects in the Case
Activities to Do with Your Students: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 7
1. What Can Objects Tell Me?
2. Make an Ojo de Dios
3. Create a Protective Symbol and Pattern
4. Weave on a Loom
5. Make a Mask
6. Weave a Basket
7. Make Hot Chocolate
Resources and Reference Materials: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 14
Vocabulary Words
Correlations with New York State Learning Standards
Where to Find Out More about Mexican Culture in New York City
Bibliography and Web Resources
■ CHECKLIST: WHAT’S IN THE CASE? ■
What’s in the Case?
Objects
Figure of the Virgin of
Guadalupe (Santo)
Jaguar Mask
Chocolate Stirrer
(Molinillo)
Ceramic Owl
Maracas
Straw Ornaments
(Panicua)
Copper Bowl
Huichol Man’s Bag
(Bolsa)
Straw Bead Necklace
Books and Resources
Ancona, George. Viva Mexico!: The Folk Arts. New York: Benchmark
Books, 2002.
Garza, Carmen Lomas. Family Pictures/Cuadros de Familia. San
Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1990.
Winter, Jeannette. Josefina. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books,
1996.
“Putomaya
Presents Mexico”
Audio CD
“Flickering Lights:
Days of the Dead”
Video
MEXICAN FOLK ART 1
Mexican Folk Art
Image DVD
■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
What can you do to prepare
before the case arrives?
Ask your students to bring an art project they have
made in the past to share with the class for a show
and tell. If two or more children bring similar objects,
you may want to point out the differences between
them to show how they are still unique. You may
want to lead the students’ presentations by asking
them some of the following questions:
• What is it?
• How did you make it?
• Does it have a practical use or is it for decoration?
• Did you make it for yourself or for someone else?
How to Handle Museum Objects
Learning to handle objects from the Museum’s
permanent collection with respect can be part of the
educational experience of the case. Please follow
these guidelines in handling objects in the case:
• Paint, feathers, fur and fibers are especially
fragile and should be touched as little as possible.
Remember that rubbing and finger oils can be
damaging.
• Students may handle the objects, carefully,
under your supervision.
• Do not shake objects or the plexiglass cases
they are housed in.
• Hold objects with two hands. Hold them by the
solid part of the body or by the strongest area
rather than by rims, edges or protruding parts.
• Temperature differences, direct sunlight, and
water can be very harmful to certain objects.
Please keep the objects away from radiators and
open windows, and keep them secure.
Teaching Students
How to Look at Museum Objects
Learning about a group of people by examining the
objects they make is much different from learning
about those people by reading about them in a book.
Objects have the power to fascinate people with their
mere physical presence. Holding an object in their
hands forms a tangible link between your students,
the folk artist who made it, and the artist’s
homeland. This sense of physical connection makes it
easier for students to think concretely about the ideas
and concepts you introduce to them in your lessons.
Objects also have the power to tell us about their
origins and purpose, provided we are willing to look
at them in detail and think about what those details
mean. Encourage your students to examine an
object carefully, touch it gently and look closely at
its design and decoration. Have them describe its
shape, size, color, and decorative designs. Ask them
questions about what they see, and what that
might tell them. For example:
• How was the object made? What tools did the
artist need?
• What materials did the artist use? Where might
he or she have gotten those materials?
• How is the object decorated? What might the
decorations mean?
• What does the object tell you about the person
or people who made it?
MEXICAN FOLK ART 2
■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
About Mexican Folk Art
What is Folk Art?
Historical Background of
Mexican Folk Art
Folk art is the art of the common people. It expresses
their loves, fears, desires, and dreams. It often evokes
images or stories from their daily lives, their religions,
and their ancient myths, as well as their imaginations.
Folk art encompasses everything from woodcarving to
textiles to pottery and metalwork. It includes objects
made purely for decoration as well as those with a
practical purpose that have been designed in a
pleasing manner.
Artists often make folk art by hand, using skills passed
down from generation to generation and raw
materials found near their homes. However, new
technology and materials have encouraged folk artists
to modify some traditional methods of production.
For example, some weavers have begun to substitute
synthetic fibers for the wool they used previously.
Many potters now use mechanized kilns instead of
traditional ovens to fire their clay objects.
In talking about folk art in Mexico, it is important to
realize that terms like “the common people” can be
hard to define. Mexico is a diverse nation, home to
more than 100 million people. Approximately onethird of its population is Indian, while less than onetenth is of primarily Spanish descent. The majority
of the population is mestizo, meaning it claims both
Indian and Spanish heritage. About 89% of the
country is Catholic, though many people combine
their Christian beliefs with elements of ancient native
religions as well. In this cultural melting pot, some
people of Indian heritage have chosen
to maintain a way of life similar to that
of pre-Conquest days, but others have
moved away from their small, rural villages
to the larger cities to embrace the modern
Mexican lifestyle. This mixture of Indian and
Spanish heritage, indigenous (native) and
Catholic beliefs, and traditional and contemporary
influences combines to make Mexico’s folk art rich in
history and meaning. ❑
The Indians of Mexico are believed to be descendants
of the first peoples who crossed the Bering land
bridge from Siberia to Alaska more than 20,000 years
ago and migrated southward into the Americas.
Mexico’s first inhabitants arrived sometime before
10,000 B.C.E. By 3,000 B.C.E. they had developed
an agricultural society based on maize.
Over the next several thousand years, Mexico
became home to two of the greatest civilizations in
world history: the Maya civilization (300 C.E.–900
C.E.) and the Aztec civilization (1000 C.E.–1521
C.E.). Long before the arrival of Europeans in the
Americas, the Maya people independently developed
a writing system, accurate solar calendars, and the
mathematical concept of zero. They also built giant
stone pyramids in the jungles of the Yucatán
Peninsula, some of which still stand today. After the
fall of the Maya, the Aztecs rose to power,
conquering their rivals tribe by tribe until they
dominated what is now Central Mexico. Like the
Maya, the Aztecs built monumental structures,
many of which were dedicated to the gods. Religion
was an important aspect of daily life in both of
these civilizations. Priests conducted
ceremonies and rituals that were based
on pleasing the gods, whom they
believed controlled the land, sea, sky,
animals, plants, and other natural forces.
Much folk art produced in Mexico today continues
to reproduce objects or designs created by the
Maya, the Aztec, and Mexico’s other indigenous
peoples. The molinillo and the maracas are objects
that the native peoples of Mexico have used for
▲
Words in boldface have been included in the list of
Vocabulary Words (see page 19).
Many of the themes and images seen in Mexican
folk art reflect the influence of developments in
Mexican history. They show how Mexico’s
indigenous heritage, its great civilizations, and its
colonization by Spain have helped shape the art of
the common people.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 3
■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
About Mexican Folk Art (continued)
hundreds if not thousands of years. The floral motifs
on the owl figurine and the animal theme shared by
that object and the jaguar mask also demonstrate
indigenous influence. Often folk art designs reflect
the importance of the natural world in religion and
daily life, as shown by the Huichol bag in the case.
were forced into
conversion. The
interaction of Catholicism
and indigenous beliefs is
another common theme in Mexican folk art, as
demonstrated by the santo figure in the case.
In 1519 the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés
arrived in Mexico. He was astounded by the Aztecs’
capital city, Tenochtitlán (which may have been the
largest city in the world at that time), and by the
golden treasures of their emperor, Moctezuma II.
Determined to conquer the Aztecs, Cortés led his
Spanish soldiers and a group of warriors recruited
from rival tribes in a bloody battle against the
Aztecs. Despite their wealth and power, the Aztecs
could not withstand the superiority of Spanish
weapons or the ravages of European diseases, and
their empire fell in 1521.
Frustrated by Spain’s oppressive rule, a priest named
Miguel Hidalgo (now known as the “father of
Mexican independence”) led a revolt against the
colonial government in 1810, and after a long,
violent struggle, Mexico became an independent
country in 1821. Almost a century later, the people
of Mexico rebelled against their corrupt national
government in a bloody seven-year civil war known
as the Mexican Revolution, which ended in 1917
with the writing of a new constitution.
For the next 300 years the Spanish ruled Mexico.
Wealthy Spanish colonists acquired great estates
called haciendas, where Indians labored for very low
wages. Catholic priests established missions and
preached Christianity with ruthless fervor. Indians
were persecuted for their ancient beliefs and many
Since that time, much has changed in Mexico. Due to
the government’s policies embracing industrialization,
more people now work in factories than fields, and
more people now live in cities than rural areas.
However, even as the nation’s factories churn out
everything from clothing to cars, many of its people
continue to make beautiful and unique folk art. ❑
Some of the activity pages that follow feature a box containing more information about objects or themes related
to that activity. We have included one example below. You may wish to share this information with your students
to help them draw connections between the objects and the lives of the people who made them.
Folk Art Shows How the Past Lives On in the Present
The indigenous (native) peoples of Mexico have
used the molinillo to whip up their chocolate
beverage for more than a thousand years. Other
objects in the case show the influence of Mexico’s
pre-Conquest Indian roots, too. For example, the
jaguar mask was originally meant to represent an
ancient Aztec god. The maracas are also native to
the Americas and have been played there since
before the arrival of Europeans. The woven bolsa is
decorated with ancient symbols sacred to the
Huichol people. All of these objects demonstrate
how objects and designs from long ago are still used
in Mexico today.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 4
■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Information about
the Objects in the Case
SANTO
Santos (Spanish for "saints")
are religious images that
Catholic people in Mexico
place on small altars in their
homes. This santo depicts the
Virgin of Guadalupe, the
patron saint of Mexico.
Catholics believe that the
Virgin Mary appeared in Mexico in 1531. It is said
that she appeared as a mestiza and spoke to the
people in their native language. Word of her
appearance convinced many Indians to convert to
Catholicism. Today 89 percent of people in Mexico
are Catholic, and the feast day of the Virgin,
December 12, is celebrated with festivals and parades.
CERAMIC OWL
This owl figurine was made
in the village of Tonalá,
Jalisco, one of Mexico's main
pottery centers. The artisans
there make several different
types of pottery (including
glazed, slip-painted, and
cinnamon-scented pottery).
Most of the pottery made in Tonalá shares common
decorative themes, such as flowers and animals.
Turtles, pigs, cats, fish, and birds are all typical
subjects. Like many animal figurines made in
Tonalá, this owl has been painted with a floral
motif and glazed.
COPPER BOWL
JAGUAR MASK
With its pointed ears, sharp
teeth, and whiskers, this mask
probably represents el tigre,
the jaguar. For centuries, the
jaguar has played an
important role in the beliefs
of the native peoples of
Mexico. The Aztecs feared
and honored the jaguar, believing it was the animal
form of a powerful god. Today in Mexico the jaguar
continues to be a vital figure in many dances and
festivals, though its role may vary from one village
to another. For example, in some celebrations a
costumed jaguar figure plays the part of a savage
beast stalked and killed by hunters. In other villages
cheerful jaguars play the bringers of the harvest,
carrying maize or other vegetables as they parade
through the town.
MARACAS
Maracas are a type of rattle or
percussion instrument played
throughout Latin America and
the Caribbean. They are a very
old instrument, and were
invented by many different
Indian groups in South America
and the Caribbean. Originally
all maracas were made from dried gourds (like
these examples), which had long stems for handles
and were filled with dried seeds that rattled when
the maraca was shaken. Over time people began to
make maracas out of wood, clay, or other materials
as well, but they kept the original gourd shape.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 5
▲
Made for cooking and other
everyday uses, copper bowls
and pans like this one come
from the town of Santa Clara
de los Cobres (or "Saint Clara
of Copper"). Santa Clara has
been an important copperworking center since 1553.
Today more than 300 family workshops there turn
copper into a variety of useful and decorative
objects. After gathering scrap copper and melting it
in a forge, the people hammer it into sheets
(which are later formed into objects like this bowl).
Flattening the copper requires at least a dozen
men, who place the metal on a large, flat stone and
take turns hitting it with heavy sledgehammers. The
noise of their pounding fills the streets of Santa
Clara with a rhythmic, clanging music.
■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Information about the Objects in the Case (continued)
HUICHOL MAN’S BAG (BOLSA)
STRAW ORNAMENTS (PANICUA)
Known as a bolsa (the
Spanish word for “bag”), this
shoulder bag is an important
part of Huichol men’s
traditional wardrobe. Huichol
men use bags like this one to
carry their daily essentials,
and may wear several bags at
the same time. A deeply religious people, the
Huichol Indians blend their ancient beliefs into
every aspect of their lives, including their clothing.
Huichol women decorate their brightly colored
woven and embroidered garments with figures
representing the sun, water, animals, and other
forces of nature. These natural elements are sacred
to the Huichol people, so the designs on their
clothing are meant to act as a sort of prayer and
protect the wearer from harm.
Braided or woven from
wheat straw (or panicua),
these small ornaments
represent a fish, a bird,
and a devil. To make
panicua, artisans soften
the straw in water and
then weave or braid it
into many different
shapes. Originally they used this method to make
straw figures representing religious figures, which
they would carry in processions on holidays. Today
they also make panicua figures of animals, starbursts,
and airplanes, among other things. These panicua
are often used as children’s toys, or hung as
ornaments at Christmas.
CHOCOLATE STIRRER (MOLINILLO)
People in Mexico have
traditionally used a stirrer
called a molinillo to make a
chocolate beverage. They
combine cocoa powder,
water, vanilla, and sugar (or
honey) in a narrow clay jug,
and whip them into a
delicious froth by twirling the molinillo between
their palms. Chocolate is made from cacao beans,
which are native to the Americas. When the Spanish
arrived in Mexico, they saw the Aztecs drinking a
chocolate beverage made from ground-up cacao
beans, water, honey, vanilla, and red pepper. The
Spanish brought chocolate back to Europe, where it
became a favorite drink among the wealthy (minus
the pepper!).
STRAW BEAD NECKLACE
The plaited beads on this
necklace are made from
straw that has been dyed a
bright shade of purple-red.
Colorful jewelry and other
adornments are common
among women in Mexico.
Gold and silver jewelry has
been highly valued there since long before the
Conquest, but folk jewelry made from less
expensive materials is also very popular. Artisans
make earrings, necklaces, and other adornments
from a variety of unusual materials, including straw
beads, seeds, tiny painted gourds, and even
miniature ceramic plates.
You can learn more about these adornments and
other objects from around the world by visiting our
Collections Central Online database at
www.brooklynkids.org/emuseum.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 6
ACTIVITY 1
What Can Objects Tell Me?
Grades: All
Related Objects: All
What To Do:
1 Create 8 stations in the classroom.
2 Place one object at each station.
Objective:
This activity is designed to help you to encourage the
students to learn about the objects through close
observation. Ask them to focus first on the physical
properties of the object, using their senses to determine
color, smell, texture, etc.
NYC Skills Addressed:
Making observations; drawing inferences from
observations; recording observations and inferences;
making cultural connections; exploring ways
communities meet their needs; exploring ways raw
materials influence lifestyle; using primary sources
(authentic artifacts) to explore culture/history; exploring
ways in which the past influences the present;
exploring the role of technology in culture; and
exploring changes in communities over time.
Materials Needed:
3 Use the remaining object of your choice and the
observation chart to demonstrate how to observe an
object closely and record your observations.
4 Remind the students to handle the objects carefully
and only in order to learn something about them.
5 Encourage the students to move from station to
station to observe the objects.
6 Allow the students to record their observations on
the chart individually, or guide them as a group and
record the answers on the transparency or chart paper.
Discussion Questions:
• What kinds of things can you learn about an object
just by examining it closely?
• What can objects tell you about the people who
made them?
• Why do you think these objects are called “folk art”?
A copy of the “What Can the Objects Tell Me?”
observation chart for each student, OR a transparency
of the chart and an overhead projector, OR a large
piece of chart paper.
Tell your students that they can learn a lot about a group of people by examining
LITERACY
EXTENSION the objects they make. Have them choose one object from the Mexican Folk Art
case and write a paragraph about it. Remind them to be sure to describe the
Grades 3–5
object and tell what the object “told” them about the people who made it.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 7
What can
objects tell me?
1
Object
What color or
colors do you see?
Use your senses to observe each object. Look at each
object carefully. What kinds of things can we learn about
an object just by examining it closely? What do objects tell
us about the people who made them? Use this chart to
record everything you discover.
Describe the shape.
MEXICAN FOLK ART
What size is it?
What does it feel like?
What can
objects tell me?
2
Object
What color or
colors do you see?
Describe the shape.
Writing Activity
You can learn a lot about a group of people
by examining the objects they make. Choose
one object from the Mexican Folk Art case
and write a paragraph about it. Be sure to
describe the object and tell what the object
“told” you about the people who made it.
MEXICAN FOLK ART
What size is it?
What does it feel like?
ACTIVITY 2
Make an Ojo de Dios
Grades 2–5
Related Object: Huichol Man’s Bag (Bolsa)
The Huichol Indians of Mexico weave brightly colored
yarn on a simple frame of crossed sticks to make a design
called Ojo de Dios or “God’s eye.” Originally, God’s eyes
were placed on an altar so that the gods could watch
over the praying people and protect them. They are now
more often sold in markets.
Objective:
This activity offers your students the opportunity to
practice their counting skills while creating a lovely
pattern.
NYC Skills Addressed:
Making cultural connections; exploring ways
communities meet their needs; using primary sources
(authentic artifacts) to explore culture/history; exploring
ways in which the past influences the present; exploring
the role of technology in culture; exploring changes in
communities over time; recognizing, extending and
creating numeric patterns and patterns with geometric
shapes; and recognizing the use of mathematics in other
subject areas such as social studies.
5 Keep on wrapping the yarn behind each end, over
that end and the next, and around behind that one,
then over that end and the next and behind that one.
Always be sure that the yarn lies next to (but never
on top of) the yarn in the previous round. After the
first few rounds, you will see the woven pattern of
the “eye” beginning to form.
6 When you have an “eye” in one color of yarn, you
can cut the yarn, tie on another color, and continue
weaving. Make sure that the knot joining the two
colors stays in the back.
7 Keep weaving the Ojo de Dios until you are about 1/2
inch from the ends of the sticks. Cut the yarn, leaving
approximately a 7-8” tail. Tie the tail in a knot in back.
If you have bells for decoration, attach one to each
of the four ends.
3
2
4
Materials Needed:
•
•
•
•
•
2 craft sticks or popsicle sticks per student
Scissors
Pencils
1-3 different rolls of yarn in bright colors
Bells for decoration (optional)
1
What To Do:
1 Cross the sticks at the center. Tie them together with
the end of a piece of yarn to make an X, but don’t cut
the yarn. Tie the yarn IN BACK of the 2 crossed sticks.
2 With the pencil, number the ends of the sticks 1-4.
3 Bring the yarn to the front between ends 3 and 4.
Pull the yarn over ends 3 and 2, and bring it to the
back between ends 2 and 1. Wrap it behind end 2
and bring it to the front again between ends 2 and 3.
Pull it over ends 2 and 1, and wrap it behind end 1.
4 Pull the yarn over ends 1 and 4 and wrap it behind
end 4. Pull it over ends 4 and 3 and wrap it behind
end 3. This is one complete round. Always lay the yarn
next to (NOT on top of) the yarn already in place.
Discussion Questions:
• Why do you think the Huichol people call this object
a God’s eye?
• What do you think they wanted to be protected from?
• Where will you keep your Ojo de Dios for protection?
MEXICAN FOLK ART 10
ACTIVITY 3
Create a Protective Symbol and Pattern
Grades 3–5
Related Object: Huichol Man’s Bag (Bolsa)
Objective:
This activity offers your students the opportunity to
research Huichol images and patterns in order to
design their own protective image and repeat it to form
a Huichol-style pattern. The children will also write
about their image and its protective powers.
NYC Skills Addressed:
Collecting information from primary sources;
demonstrating through art and writing an understanding
of traditions celebrated by different cultures around the
world; making cultural connections; exploring ways
communities meet their needs; exploring ways raw
materials influence lifestyle; using primary sources
(authentic artifacts) to explore culture/history; exploring
ways in which the past influences the present; exploring
the role of technology in culture; and exploring changes
in communities over time.
Materials Needed:
• Copies of the “Draw a Protection Symbol” and
“Draw a Pattern” worksheets provided on the
following pages
• Crayons
• Additional drawing paper
What To Do:
1 If you have Internet access, you and your students
may want to visit www.thebeadmuseum.com/huichol
to see additional Huichol designs.
2 Discuss the repetition of the patterns on the bags as
well as the symbols of protection represented on
some of the bags.
3 Allow the children to use the worksheets to create
their symbols and patterns.
Discussion Questions:
• Can you think of something that you might need to
have extra special protection from?
• What are some things that scare you?
• What are some things that you use to make you feel
strong and less afraid?
Religion in Mexico
The santo statue and the Huichol bag each show
how religion figures in the daily lives of people in
Mexico. About 89 percent of the population is
Catholic, so it is not surprising that Christian figures
appear in both folk art (such as santos) and a variety
of knick-knacks (like t-shirts and candles). The
influence of native religions on Mexican culture is
not as obvious. The Spanish forced many Indians to
convert to Catholicism, though some
continued to practice their native religions in
secret. However, the Huichol people escaped
the Catholic missionaries by moving into the remote
mountains of northern Mexico, where they had the
freedom to practice their ancient religion. Today
they continue to demonstrate their beliefs through
their crafts, like the bolsa in the case.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 11
Create
a Protection
Symbol
The patterns woven by the Huichol people are
usually repetitive images from dreams about
nature. The patterns are not only decorative,
but are often meant to protect the wearer.
Can you think of something that you might
need to have extra special protection from? Think of things that might scare
you, like nightmares and barking dogs or bullies or too much homework. Draw
an image that will protect you from these things, like an eye that’s wideawake or an A+.
This is my symbol for protection.
This symbol will protect me from:
MEXICAN FOLK ART
Draw
a Pattern
Look at the way the patterns below repeat. Try to think
of a protection symbol you might like to use. Draw this
image as many times as you would like to create a
pattern in the spaces below.
How many times did you repeat your symbol?
MEXICAN FOLK ART
ACTIVITY 4
Weave on a Loom
Grades 3-5
Related Object: Huichol Man’s Bag (Bolsa)
Objective:
The Huichol people weave their beautiful bags, clothing,
rugs and other textiles on looms. This activity is designed
to offer your students the opportunity to try their hands
at making textiles using a technique that Mexican artisans
have handed down through generations.
NYC Skills Addressed:
5 Pass the yarn (the weft) through the warp, going
over and under the warp threads in any pattern you
desire. You may use one or more colors. When adding
a color, leave a long train of yarn so that it can be
woven into the cloth with a needle when you finish.
6 When your cloth is finished, remove the ruler. Cut
the warp ends two at a time and tie them together.
Continue in this fashion until all the warp ends are tied
at this end of the fabric. Repeat this same procedure
with the warp ends at the top of the fabric.
Making cultural connections; exploring ways communities
meet their needs; exploring ways raw materials influence
lifestyle; using primary sources (authentic artifacts) to
explore culture/history; exploring ways in which the past
influences the present; exploring the role of technology in
culture; and exploring changes in communities over time.
Materials Needed:
•
•
•
•
Cardboard (one 6” x 8” rectangle per child)
Yarn of varied colors
Rulers (one per child)
Scissors
What To Do:
1 Cut notches in the 6” side of the cardboard at 1/2”
intervals.
2 Wrap the yarn around the cardboard so that it
progresses from one notch to the next. This forms
the warp.
3 Tape the ends of the yarn to the back of the cardboard
so they do not come loose.
4 Slide a ruler through the warp along the bottom of
the cardboard. This will leave enough unwoven warp
to tie the ends when the weaving is finished.
Discussion Questions:
• You can make a piece of material for a Huichol bag
on a loom. What other kinds of things do you think
might be made looms?
• Look at the clothing you are wearing. Who has
clothing that shows the crisscrossing lines of thread
that make up the material?
• Do you think that your clothes were made on a loom?
• How else could you make fabric?
Folk art as a family production
Instead of being mass-produced in large factories,
folk art is made by hand by individuals or in family
workshops. Many folk artists often learn their craft
from their parents. In carving a santo or weaving
panicua, they use skills passed down to them
through several generations of their family. In turn,
the artists teach these skills to their own children.
Children help their parents by performing simple
tasks like tending fires, soaking straw, or gathering
wood or scrap metal. Eventually they may take on
the role of apprentices and learn more difficult
tasks, such as how to flatten sheets of copper or
how to glaze pottery. A family workshop may
employ several generations, from children (willing
helpers and apprentices) to parents (able artisans)
to grandparents (master craftspeople).
MEXICAN FOLK ART 14
ACTIVITY 5
Make a Mask
Grades 2–5
Related Object: Jaguar Mask
What To Do:
1 Take a strip of newspaper and pull it through the
paste so that it is covered but not dripping. Put the
strip on top of a balloon.
Objective:
In Mexico, people use papier-mâché to construct masks
and animal figures for holidays and festivals like Day of
the Dead (a festival during which Mexicans celebrate
their ancestors). This activity allows your students to
explore mask making and the Mexican custom of
celebrating death as a part of life, turning something
frightening into something festive. Share and discuss the
“Flickering Lights” video with your students in order to
illustrate this tradition.
2 Repeat step 1 until you have covered one half of the
balloon. Do not cover the whole balloon.
3 Stop for the day to allow the paper strips to dry.
4 Add a second layer of paper strips on top of the first
dried layer by repeating step 1.
5 When the second layer is dry, pop the balloon. The
layers of paper should hold their shape, forming the
mask.
6 Cut two holes for the eyes.
NYC Skills Addressed:
Making cultural connections; exploring ways communities
meet their needs; exploring ways raw materials influence
lifestyle; using primary sources (authentic artifacts) to
explore culture/history; exploring ways in which the past
influences the present; exploring the role of technology in
culture; and exploring changes in communities over time.
Materials Needed:
• Wallpaper paste or flour mixed with water to the
consistency of pudding
• Large bowls
• Scissors
• Hole-punch
• Paint, fabric, yarn
• Newspaper cut into strips
• One pre-inflated balloon for each child
7 Add more layers of papier-mâché to the mask to give
it strength. Always allow the mask to dry between
layers. Remember to leave the eyeholes uncovered.
8 After the last layer of papier-mâché has dried,
decorate the mask with paint, fabric or yarn.
9 Attach yarn to the sides of the mask to create tie
strings, using the hole-punch to create holes.
Discussion Questions:
• What are some things that seem scary to you?
• How would you change the way it looked so that it
was no longer scary?
Tell your students that some of the indigenous groups in Mexico believed that
LITERACY
EXTENSION they could communicate with the spirits by wearing a mask that represented them.
Ask them to think of someone or something they would like to be able to
Grades 3–5
communicate with, and then complete the “Planning Your Mask” activity page.
Papier-mâché Masks and Day of the Dead
In Mexico, people make masks out of a variety of
materials, including wood, clay, copper, wire mesh,
and papier-mâché. Papier-mâché masks are especially
common during the Day of the Dead (Día de los
Muertos) celebration on November 1–2. On this
holiday, people honor their ancestors by decorating
graves and cemeteries with flowers. They also build
small altars to hold candles, photographs of loved
ones, and offerings of flowers and food. Children
eat sweet rolls called pan de muerto (“dead man’s
bread”) and candies shaped like coffins and skulls.
Dancers and musicians wear costumes and papiermâché masks that make them look like skeletons. A
whole town may turn out to watch them dance and
join in the celebration.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 15
Plan
Your Mask
Some of the indigenous groups in Mexico believed that
they could communicate with the spirits by wearing a
mask that represented them. Think of someone or
something you would like to be able to communicate
with. Design a mask that represents someone or
something you would like to communicate with.
I would like to be able to communicate with
__________________________________________________________________________
because __________________________________________________________________.
These are the things I would talk about:
This is a sketch of my mask:
MEXICAN FOLK ART
ACTIVITY 6
Weave a Basket
Grades 3–5
Related Objects: Straw Ornaments (Panicua),
Straw Bead Necklace
The straw objects in this case are used for adornment,
but Mexican folk artists also have a prominent tradition
of weaving functional items such as baskets, mats,
tablecloths and hats. They take pride in creating beautiful
but practical objects as well as purely decorative ones.
Objective:
This activity is designed to offer your students an
opportunity to weave a small basket using a technique
similar to that of Mexican artisans.
NYC Skills Addressed:
5 Cut fabric into small circles equal to the size of the
circle you drew in the center of the large circle.
6 Tape one end of the raffia to the inner circle.
7 Start weaving the raffia around the wedges- over
one wedge, under the next. Make sure the raffia is
pushed tightly against itself so that no cardboard
shows through.
8 As you weave, pull hard enough on the raffia so that
the wedges bend up gently and the sides of the
bowl are formed.
9 When you finish weaving, glue the loose end of the
raffia down to secure it.
10 To complete the project, glue a fabric circle to the
inside center of the bowl.
Making cultural connections; exploring ways communities
meet their needs; exploring ways raw materials influence
lifestyle; using primary sources (authentic artifacts) to
explore culture/history; exploring ways in which the past
influences the present; exploring the role of technology in
culture; and exploring changes in communities over time.
Materials Needed:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cardboard (not too thick, more like poster-board)
Scissors
Rulers
Pencils
Raffia or yarn
Fabric
Glue
What To Do:
1 Cut the cardboard into circles 4–6“ in diameter.
Discussion Questions:
2 Draw a small circle in the center of the large circle
and color it in.
• What do you think that people in Mexico might
have used a straw basket for?
• Where do you think that straw comes from?
• Besides the beads, ornaments and your basket, what
other things do you think can be woven from straw?
3 Cut an uneven number of wedges down to the
smaller circle in the center.
4 Roll small balls of raffia or yarn for each child.
Folk Art Can Be Both Beautiful and Useful
Some of the objects in the case are made primarily
for practical purposes. For example, the copper pots
and the molinillo are used for preparing food and
beverages, so they are fairly simple and unadorned.
The Huichol bag, the mask, and the maracas were
all made to be both practical and pleasing to the
eye. Some of the objects are meant specifically for
decoration and have no other purpose than to be
beautiful, such as the clay owl, the straw ornaments
and the necklace.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 17
ACTIVITY 7
Make Hot Chocolate
Grades 2–5
Related Object: Chocolate Stirrer (Molinillo)
Objective:
This activity offers your students the chance to compare
the recipes and tastes of ancient Mayan hot chocolate
with a contemporary hot chocolate recipe.
Please do not use the molinillo in the case for demonstrations with real hot chocolate. We recommend
using a whisk to simulate the use of the molinillo.
NYC Skills Addressed:
Making cultural connections; exploring ways communities
meet their needs; exploring ways raw materials influence
lifestyle; using primary sources (authentic artifacts) to
explore culture/history; exploring ways in which the past
influences the present; exploring the role of technology in
culture; and exploring changes in communities over time.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enough water for each child
Enough milk for each child
Other ingredients from each recipe
Whisk
Measuring spoons
Grater
The Spanish word for chocolate is spelled exactly the
same way we spell it in English, but in Spanish
chocolate is pronounced “cho-co-LAH-tay.” While
whisking your hot chocolate, sing this song:
Uno, dos, tres–Cho
Uno, dos, tres–Co
Uno, dos, tres–La
Uno, dos, tres–Te
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate,
Cho!
Discussion Questions:
• What differences do you notice between the two
recipes?
• What is the same about the recipes? Which one do
you like best?
Materials Needed:
• Access to a microwave oven or
a stove to heat water or milk
• Styrofoam or heat resistant cups
“PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE” Hot Cocoa
MAYAN CHOCOLATE DRINK
Courtesy of Hershey’s Kitchens Recipes
Ingredients:
• 1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• Ground chili peppers (to taste)
• Sweeten with honey
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons HERSHEY’S Cocoa
• Dash salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1 Grate the unsweetened chocolate into a bowl
and cover it with a little of the boiling water.
Mash this mixture into a paste. (The chocolate
will not totally dissolve and will have a gritty
texture; this is normal.)
2 Add the rest of the water and vanilla and beat
with a mixer (such as an egg beater/electric
mixer, not the molinillo) until frothy.
Directions:
1 Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in large mug.
2 Heat milk in microwave at HIGH (100%) for
1–1/2 minutes or until hot.
3 Gradually add hot milk to cocoa mixture in mug,
stirring until well blended.
4 Stir in vanilla.
3 Add the chili peppers.
4 For a more authentic drink, let the mixture cool
and then beat until frothy and drink
MEXICAN FOLK ART 18
■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
Vocabulary Words
Correlations with New York State
Learning Standards
Aztec:
a highly advanced civilization that flourished in
Central Mexico from 1000 C.E. to 1519 C.E.
cacao:
a tree native to the Americas; its yellow seeds are
used to make cocoa and chocolate.
Conquest:
a historical term referring to the European (and particularly Spanish) conquest of the Americas from the
15th to the 17th century.
conquistador:
a soldier or explorer who helped Spain conquer the
native peoples of the Americas from the 15th to the
17th century (literally, Spanish for “conqueror”).
forge:
a furnace in which metal is heated and shaped.
gourd:
a fruit (often inedible) with a hard rind that can be
dried or hollowed out and used to make containers,
utensils, or ornaments.
hacienda:
a large estate belonging to a wealthy Spanish
colonist.
Huichol:
an Indian tribe native to northern central Mexico.
indigenous:
native to a certain place; often used to refer to
native peoples.
kiln:
a special oven or furnace used for firing (baking)
pottery.
The activities included in this guide meet the
following New York State academic and performance
standards for elementary students (K–5):
The Arts
Standard 1:
Students will actively engage in the process that
constitutes creation in the arts
Standard 2:
Students will be knowledgeable about, and make
use of, the resources available for the creation of art.
Standard 3:
Students will respond to, and analyze works of art.
Standard 4:
Students will understand the cultural contributions
of the arts.
Social Studies
Standard 2: History
• Students will explore the lifestyles, beliefs, traditions, rules, laws and social/cultural needs and
wants of people during different periods in history
and in different parts of the world
• Students will view historic events through the eyes
of those who were there, as shown in their art,
writing, music and artifacts.
Standard 3: Geography
• Students will investigate how people depend on
and modify the physical environment.
Standard 4: Economics
• Students will explore some ways individuals and
groups attempt to satisfy their basic needs and
wants by utilizing scarce resources.
maize:
a variety of corn.
Math
Maya:
a complex civilization that ruled the Yucatán
Peninsula region of southern Mexico from 300 C.E.
to 900 C.E.
Mathematical Reasoning
mestizo:
a person of mixed Indian and Spanish heritage.
motif:
a design or decorative theme.
Patterns and Functions
ELA (English Language Arts)
Speaking, Listening and Viewing:
• The student participates in group meetings in
which the student displays appropriate turn-taking
behaviors, offers opinions and solicits another’s
opinion, responds appropriately to comments and
questions, supports own opinion and expands on
the responses of others.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 19
■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
Where to find out more about
Mexican culture in New York City
You can supplement your unit on Mexican Folk Art
with a trip to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
We have several school programs related to
Mexican culture. See our school program brochure
for details.
You can learn more about art and culture
in modern Mexico at the following museums:
■
Learn more about the ancient peoples of
Mesoamerica and see some of their art and
artifacts at the following museums:
■
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street, Manhattan
212-769-5100
www.amnh.org
Brooklyn Museum
El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue (at 104th Street), Manhattan
212-831-7272
www.elmuseo.org
200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
718-638-5000
www.brooklynmuseum.org
National Museum of the American Indian
■
One Bowling Green, Manhattan
212-514-3700
www.nmai.si.edu
(Check their online exhibition schedule to see what
is on display in New York, and look for their annual
Día de los Muertos celebration in early November.)
484 Broome Street (between Green and Wooster
Streets), Manhattan
212-925-699
See art and objects from the Conquest and
colonization of Latin America and Mexico at:
■
You can get Aztec-style chocolate at the
following restaurants:
Mariebelle
Lunetts et Chocolat
25 Prince Street (at Mott Street), Manhattan
212-925-8800
The Hispanic Society of America
City Bakery
613 W. 155th Street (at Broadway), Manhattan
212-926-2234
www.hispanicsociety.org
3 West 18th Street, Manhattan
212-366-1414
(City Bakery also hosts an annual Hot Chocolate
Festival. Check out www.hotchocolate-festival.com
for updated information.)
MEXICAN FOLK ART 20
■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
Bibliography & Web Resources
The following books and websites have provided
valuable source material for this guide and may also
help you to enrich your experience with the objects
in the case.
• De Paola, Tomie. The Lady of Guadalupe.
Eugene, Oregon: Holiday House, 1980.
• Lammer, Jutta. Make Things with Straw and
Raffia. New York: Weatherhill, 1974.
• Sunset Books. Weaving Techniques & Projects.
California: Lane Books, 1974.
• Vidal, Beatriz and Nancy Van Laan. The Legend
of El Dorado. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.,
1991.
■ All About Chocolate
www.fieldmuseum.org/chocolate/about.html
The Field Museum invites you to learn all about
chocolate—where it comes from, how it is made
and how it has been used throughout history.
Teacher resources provided.
■ Ancient Mexican Art
http://americanindian.si.edu/exhibitions/ancient
This bilingual (English and Spanish) site highlights
the Ancient Mexican Art collection from the
National Museum of the American Indian, exploring
individual objects within the collection.
■ Great Masters of Fold Art
www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/gm
This online exhibition at the National Museum of
the American Indian explains the processes involved
in creating art from clay, leather, metal, paper, plant
fibers, stone, textile and wood.
■ Huichol Art
www.mex.connect.com/mex-/huichol/
huicholart.html
This site contains beautiful images of Huichol yarn
paintings.
■
The Huichol Web of Life:
Creation and Prayer
www.thebeadmuseum.com/huichol
Based on a past exhibition at the Bead Museum in
Glendale, Arizona, this site features pictures and
text about Huichol daily life. It also includes teacher
resources.
■ Milagros Mexican Folk Art
www.milagrosseattle.com
This is the online site of a Mexican folk art gallery.
Although it is a commercial site, educators can use
it to find examples of contemporary Mexican folk
art. The objects are grouped into categories such as
pottery, masks, religious figures and Huichol art.
The photos of the objects are clear and vibrant, but
unfortunately the site does not provide information
about the objects or the artists who made them.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Collections Central Online
■
www.brooklynkids.org/emuseum
This Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s website features
an online database of the objects in our collection.
You and your students can learn more about the
objects in the case as well as other objects from
Mexico by searching Collections Central Online.
MEXICAN FOLK ART 21
Acknowledgments
Beth Alberty
Niobe Ngozi
Chrisy Ledakis
Tim Hayduk
Nobue Hirabayashi
Whitney Thompson
■
Portable Collections Series Coordinators
Jewell Handy
Melissa Husby
Special Thanks
Nancy Vido, Lead Teacher Advisor, P.S. 131
The Teachers of the New York City Department of Education
■
Funding
This revision of Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s
Portable Collections Program Guide is made possible
by a Learning Opportunities Grant from
the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
■
■
■
© 2006
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11213
718-735-4400 ext. 170
www.brooklynkids.org
For information about renting this or other Portable Collections Program cases,
please contact the Scheduling Assistant at 718-735-4400 ext. 118.