Rosalinda Cauich Ramirez (born February 24, 1962) is a Mexican artisan specializing in basket weaving. Her work has been recognized with various awards. Cauich Ramirez was born in Kopchén, a small community 22 km southwest of

Felipe Carrillo Puerto Felipe Carrillo Puerto (8 November 1874 – 3 January 1924) was a Mexican journalist, politician and revolutionary who became known for his efforts at reconciliation between the Yucatec Maya and the Mexican government after the Caste War. He ...

in the southeastern state of

Quintana Roo Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...

. She received her first basket as a gift when she was seven, but began making them when she was ten. At that time, the municipality brought an instructor to the community to teach fiber arts, and she began making fruit bowls and round baskets with carrying handles. Her father encouraged her interest by collecting materials for her and helping with their preparation. Today, she has a repertoire of over forty basic designs, which include baskets of various shapes and sizes, animal figures, fruit bowls, carrying bags, cradles, lamp bases, flower vases and more. She principally works with a plant called

guaco Guaco, huaco, vejuco and bejuco are terms applied to various vine-like Central American, South American, and West Indian climbing plants, reputed to have curative powers. Several species in the genus ''Mikania'' are among those referred to as gua ...

, a fibrous, resistant climbing vine found in the higher altitudes in the Yucatan Peninsula, originally used by her community to create thatched roofs. There are eleven different species of guaco in Quintana Roo, with the most common called tendón de sapo in Spanish or chiicheních much in

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...

. If the vine is tough, she boils it first to take the bark off and divide it into strips. She uses her hands to weave the vines but sometimes uses her feet for stability. She has passed on her ability to her eight children, her nieces and nephews and her husband, Jacinto Mex Puc. Her family depends on this activity economically, and her children participate in workshop activities among other activities. The activity has allowed her to travel and meet other artisans in various parts of Mexico, as well as win various recognitions. She has won first place for pieces made for various crafts competitions, such as first place in the semi rigid fibers category at the 2011 Concurso Nacional de Fibras Vegetales organized by

FONART The Fondo Nacional para el Fomento de las Artesanías or National Fund for the Development of Arts and Crafts (best known as FONART) is a dependence of the Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL). It was established in 1974 to promote and prote ...

. In 1996, she was named a Grand Masters by the Fomento Cultural

Banamex #redirect Grupo Financiero Banamex Grupo Financiero Banamex S.A. de C.V. has its origins and is the owner of the Banco Nacional de México or Citibanamex (formerly Banamex). It is the second-largest bank in Mexico. The Banamex Financial Group wa ...

, and in 2011 was named a “distinguished woman of Quintana Roo” by Governor Félix González Canto.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cauich Ramirez, Rosalinda 21st-century Mexican women artists Basket weavers Artists from Quintana Roo 1962 births Living people Women basketweavers