origin
Tenango is an embroidery style that originated in the difficult-to-access municipality of Tenango de Doria, in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. These textiles are characterized by the combination of colors and the representation of flora and fauna; they can also represent scenes from daily life, religion, patronal festivals, carnivals, the Day of the Dead, the harvest, etc. Embroidery is a symbolic language that expresses the environment, life, myths and rites. The makers of this Tenango are mainly Otomi, an indigenous tribe that has its own language.
Over the years, embroidery has become one of the elements that make up the cultural and ethnic identity of the inhabitants of the municipality of Tenango de Doria. The inhabitants of this municipality say that whoever leaves the municipality to live elsewhere should always take a piece of Tenango with them to represent the community. The Tenangos are considered cultural heritage of Mexico and are exhibited in the National Museum of Anthropology, the National Museum of Popular Cultures and the Museum of Popular Art.
How it works
A tenango is usually made by one person, but large pieces such as tablecloths can be made by several people. The pattern of the animals and plants is drawn by hand and then embroidered by hand. It is important that the work is carried out correctly so that the outline of the drawing is not visible through the threads on the blanket. For embroiderers, the technique is one of the criteria for recognition, as it is an expression of specific local knowledge. The completion of an embroidery can take days or months, depending on the size of the embroidery.