Tetelcingo, Morelos is a major indigenous town right next to Cuautla, Morelos. There were a number of women still wearing the traditional huipil and wrap skirt with 2 back strap loomed belts. There are only two belt weavers left in the town (6/06).
Bob Freund 10/2/2006
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Maria Cheron at her loom
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Two types of belts
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Marta de la Luz Ramos
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Marta de la Luz Ramos
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Tetelcingo has been a strongly resistant cultural center for the Nahua of the State of Morelos for years. With the growth in Mexican population and the expansion of the city of Cuautla, Morelos, the town has now virtually been surrounded by mestizo populations. Condo complexes now are being built inside of Tetelcingo. There are still many elderly women that continue wear the traditional dress consisting of a black huipil and wrap skirt with two back strap woven belts. During my visit the government official I dealt with was very helpful and convinced this lady (Marta de la Luz Ramos) to participate. The secretary of the town spoke Nahua and was very interested in the study as a way of preserving the textiles tradition of Tetelcingo. The costumes that I saw were no longer woven on back strap looms, but rather made from machine made materials. However I do not doubt that there are still hand woven garments in the town. The town itself was orderly and clean and the people were pleasant.

I returned to the town during a visit to Cuautla in May and found the one of the last two belt weavers in Tetelcingo. Maria Cheron invited me in and after the traditional explanation of the project she sat down at here loom and we did a photo shoot. What was interesting is that there are actually two belts worn with the costume, the wider belt is worn under the thinner belt. In the photos you can see the two styles.