Cultural Bearers, Docentes, Teachers

Cultural Bearers, "Docentes," and Teachers are those who have taught me about and have passed on their knowledge of textiles. They have been a connection of learning, laughter, community, understanding, love, and friendship. I want to dedicate this blog post to the cultural bearers, "docentes," and teachers who taught me how to weave, embroider, crochet, sew, dye yarn, spin yarn, and dream. 

Mi Abuela

"Mi Abuela" or my grandmother has been doing embroidery and crochet work since I was a child, and probably long before then. Knowledge she passed on to her many daughters, including my mother. At 87 years old she still makes her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren blankets she crochets and embroidered pillow cases. 

Mi Mamá

"Mi mamá" or my mom inherited my grandmother's knowledge of crocheting and embroidery work. Although she has developed arthritis from working in laborious jobs, she still finds time and energy to make various crochet projects to gift to family and friends. 

The Male Weaver

Samuel is a weaver from a community in San Miguel Ameyalco, Mexico. A community with origins of the ñathö-ñuhu Indigenous people in the Central Sierra de Las Cruces and where his iconography is inspired from. He does various "talleres" or workshops where he teachers others how to weave using a backstrap loom and educates people about this Indigenous practice. He learned how to weave with a backstrap loom from his mother when he was 20 years old. 

I learned from Samuel while we chatted about the Indigenous communities we were weaving for. We both come from Otomi or Hñähñu communities but from different regions in Mexico. He is ñathö and I'm hñöñho or hñähñu, names we call ourselves depending on the region we are from in Mexico. I asked him once if it was uncommon to have male weavers in the community and he said yes. He explained that he was sometimes discriminated against because weaving is originally a female traditional practice, but that he took it upon himself to learn because he didn't want the practice and knowledge to "die," and so he decided to learn as a male weaver to continue the family practice. 

We continue to be in communication to share knowledge, share weaving discoveries, and to share stories as Indigenous weavers.

The Spinner

Ellis is a spinner, tapestry weaver, and dyes yarn with natural elements. I met her this year in 2025 during volunteer community service and bonded over fabric and weaving. She has taught me about dyeing yarn with natural tints and spinning my own yarn. Valuable knowledge that has created a friendship where we experiment with colors when dyeing yarn, and chat about life. She learned from various fabric artists, her family, and Navajo teachers. 

I'm thankful to every cultural bearer, "docente", and teacher I have met so far in my journey and the knowledge and community we have shared with one another. As I continue on this path, I look forward to the continued exchange of cultural knowledge with these cultural bearers, "docentes," and teachers.  I also look forward to meeting the many more knowledge bearers, "docentes," and teachers I meet along the way.