I am currently working on a painting of these dolls which are frequently sold by some of the indigenous peoples of Mexico.
The dolls have a long history. Dolls like these were created by the indigenous before Mexico was conquered by the Spaniards. They are part of Mexico’s heritage and have been passed down from generation to generation.
I believe that they are intended as both toys and as a way for the indigenous people to sell a craft to earn their living. I know little of the doll’s history outside of this.
The indigenous people who craft these dolls call themselves the Otomi. They have their own language called, nHa:nHo. Their largest populations are found in the states of Hidalgo (Valle de Mezquital), México, Puebla, Querétaro, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz.
I find the dolls and these people to be fascinating and like all cultures they struggle to maintain their traditions in our modern world of globalization and general loss of our unique qualities.
That is really interesting, it really helped my child with a cultural day project!
Hi There!
It's great to hear that you found the post useful. Thanks so much for commenting.
Hi,
I saw dolls like the ones pictured on a Mexican Novela and was searching for one online for my daughter, and came upon your site. I cannot find one to purchase anywhere! We were in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico in December and they didn't have any that we could find either. Anyhoo, I enjoyed seeing the pic and reading about them
Nicole
The dolls are common in some parts of Mexico. The picture is of some dolls that were for sale in Xochimilco (Mexico City). They are also very commonly sold by the indigenous in the state of Queretaro.
[...] Around the corner from Café La Habana, the Artesanías La Ciudadela market in Mexico City is one of my favorite places to go to browse a variety of handicrafts and folk art from all across Mexico. These traditional hand-made dolls are crafted by the indigenous peoples of central Mexico and are part of Mexico’s heritage. [...]