Santa Maria del Rio

The rebozo - the long Mexican shawl worn over shoulders, wrapped as a head covering or slung to carry a baby - reaches its finest expression in Santa Maria del Rio, a town that has woven them for centuries and trained generations at its own rebozo school. The prestige piece is silk: warp threads are tied and dyed in the ikat method before weaving, producing the characteristic misty patterns, then woven on backstrap or pedal looms, and finished with the punta - the hand-knotted macrame fringe that can take a specialist weeks and is the true test of quality. The town's proudest boast is that a properly made silk rebozo will pass through a wedding ring, a demonstration workshops give with practised drama. Visitors can watch dyeing, weaving and knotting, buy from workshops and the school's shop at source, and time a visit to the August fair when competitions and exhibitions fill the plaza. The town also makes quince sweets and mezcal, but the shawls are the reason to come.

History

The founding date is disputed: it is often given as 1589, but a Franciscan baptismal record of 15 August 1542 shows the settlement already existed, and Viceroy Luis de Velasco may simply have named it. The Franciscan convent was built in 1604, and the settled people were Guachichil and Otomi (Wikipedia, Santa María del Río, San Luis Potosí).

Highlights

• Ikat dyeing - threads tied and dyed before weaving.
• The looms - backstrap and pedal weaving in the workshops.
• The punta knotting - hand-tied fringes taking weeks.
• The ring test - a silk rebozo through a wedding band.

When to go

August for the rebozo fair; otherwise weekday mornings when workshops and the school are active. Dry-season months make the trip easiest.

Things to know

Silk pieces are expensive and worth it; cotton and artisela versions cost a fraction and are honest daily wear. Ask what fibre you are buying. The town is small - half a day covers it.

Nearby

San Luis Potosi's pink-stone centre lies 45 minutes north; the Camino Real route continues through the Bajio south.