MEXICO: Christmas tradition of handmade Christmas articles revives the former gold mining town of Tlalpujahu

An avalanche in 1937 buried the old gold mines in Tlalpujahua, transforming this little village in Central Mexico into a ghost town. But few years after the tragedy, as thousands of jobless miners continued to flee the town, the Christmas tradition brought life back to its people. Today, Tlalpujahua is a factory of handmade Christmas articles, featuring Crystal bowls for Christmas trees and houses around the world. The artists say the factory is unique, with each ornament entirely decorated by hand, making them one of a kind. "Depending on the model, some are easier that others that need some practice before they are ready", said factory worker Gabriela Solis. In Tlalpujahua, with a population of 5,000, over 1,000 people are currently employed in the making of the bowls. The craftsmen claim quality as the key to their success. Up to 80 percent of what they make is destined for exportation, mainly to Canada and the United States where they must compete against the rising Chinese market. But the craftsmen know that their unique product saved the town's economy once already and are determined to keep up the work. "We can say that after being a ghost town, the bowls saved this town's economy, and it also ended being ghostly as people arrived from elsewhere because of the needed work force, that is, there was a rather big supply for jobs, so people came", explained Gerardo Marinez Chavarria, a doctor that quit medicine to start his own little Christmas decoration company. Tlalpujahua, located in the state of Michoacan, also aspires to attract tourism to its stoned labyrinthine streets. "Here is mostly for the crafts. There is lot of competition from other countries, and, well, better to buy what's make here, in Mexico", said tourists Gelosio and Fabiola. Tlalpujahua was recently named the twenty second "magical town" in the country by the Mexican government, a category cities gain based upon their history and cultural richness. ENDS.

ITN Source | December 17, 2005

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