The common Michoacan can stroll through any craft market in Mexico and recognize any particular piece because Michoacán is one of the best places in Latin American that best preserves its craft traditions including handing down these traditions to the next generation.

At the time of New Spain, Bishop Vasco de Quiroga established schools where craftsmanship techniques were taught to the natives of the area of Lake Patzcuaro, creating, inadvertently, one of the best preserved and cherished traditions of all Mexico. When you visit the villages and markets of the region, you are amazed by the variety of colors and the combination thereof, the techniques and prices.

You can find original pieces, cheap and bought directly from artists. Produced works in copper, paper mache, tin, ceramic, wood, wrought iron, lacquer, maques or ceramic models, pottery, textiles, and woolen yarn (sweaters are the basic garment to buy for Day of the Dead). The town of Santa Clara del Cobre, as its name suggests, is an ancient creator of pieces made of copper before being removed from the mines and now is industrial waste. But Santa Clara bears special mention, as the people and the beauty generated there deserve our full attention. Cuanajo is another nearby town, famous throughout the state for its furniture and pieces of carved and painted wood. It is not uncommon for furniture stores in the region to come and stock up on the beautiful and traditional pieces. From the Tzintzuntan region there are baskets, mats, hats and Christmas decorations made of natural fibers.

And returning to Patzcuaro, it will not be unusual to be amazed by the rare yarns and fabrics displayed in various shops. Tablecloths, curtains, tortilla holders, napkins, bags, dresses in cotton, etc.. stand out for their traditional colors, original embroidered pieces, and their delicate embroidery. And what about the shawls that are typical on the Purepecha plateau! Walking through the Craft Market and snack shops, just off the Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, between the copper artifacts, toys and wooden masks representing the famous dance of the old men, you will find a great place, run by a young man smiling and willing to talk about his craft.

Antonio Rafael Silva, has worked with his entire family with tule for over 30 years.  This natural fiber is extracted from trees found on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro, specifically in Ihuatzio.

The Tule or Chuspata is cut and then dried for several hours, once dry it is moistened slightly so that it becomes flexible and then, the hands of this family create tortilla holders, piggy banks, baby bassinets, gateras or houses for cats, baskets, mats, etc. They also make wooden items such as spoons, cutting boards, grinders, etc.

Everything is handmade, therefore, each item is unique with its own specific characteristics. In each piece the artist is giving a part of himself, for example, a piggy-shaped large pig, took  4 hours ($75 pesos), a smaller one took 2 hours ($35 pesos) and a tortilla holder took 45 minutes ($35 , $38 and $28 pesos a piece). All this dedication makes the craft itself is worth a fortune, but as you can see, the prices are very affordable. The craft market is open daily in Pátzcuaro from 8 am to 5 pm, after that, craft stalls are replaced by those of typical regional enchiladas.

We cannot end this article without mentioning the traditional Mexican toys produced in this place: little trucks, snakes that appear to move, boxes with surprises inside, blocks of rectangles with links that give the impression of never separating, rag dolls dressed in traditional costumes, bowling games made of wooden soldiers, among many other toys that have made generations of happy Michoacan children. For these reasons, we recommend a walk around at the craft markets and don’t leave your hotel without a few pesos because, surely, you cannot resist the temptation to buy a piece.