Alebrijes, a very important handicraft for the Mexicans

Alebrijes in Mexico are very popular handicrafts, which are sometimes considered works of art rather than handicrafts, due to their detailed elaboration and colors. Alebrijes are not as old as you might think, they were invented a few decades ago, in the first half of the 20th century.

This impressive Mexican craft is traditionally made with the technique in paper mache or wood, which is a fantastic figure that combines the physiognomic elements of various animals, they can be real animals or imaginary figures created to make this craft, but they are characteristic for the incredible colors that are put on them.

They are originally from Mexico City, but artisans from other parts of the Mexican Republic began to create their own versions. In Oaxaca several artisans combined traditional carved wood crafts. The colors are characteristic because they are kept alive from their paper mache counterparts, but in Oaxaca they are made of copal wood and are inspired by the idea of the nahuales, supernatural beings that have the ability to turn into animals. This way of making alebrijes has spread to other towns and there are already three communities that specialize in the creation of these carved wooden figures: San Antonio Arrazola, San Martin Tilcajete and La Union de Tejalapam.

Today alebrijes are part of Mexican culture and art, a craft that is constantly evolving.