NOCHEZTLI, Mexico

Project name: NOCHEZTLI

Project location: Mexico

Website: http://nocheztli.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nocheztlicalli/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nocheztlicalli/

Project description:

The Project, named Nocheztlicall – Dye Cochineal and Cactus Ecological Museum, is composed by three main elements:

1. Dissemination Program. Through tailor made guided tours for student’s groups, it is implemented an educational methodology that can be adapted to different ages, from 3 years old children to young college students and public. This methodology consists in using a video documentary to overview all historical aspects of the dye cochineal and its cultural and economic heritage in Oaxaca. Later, attendees observe the living insect by using a microscope, and visit the cactus orchards, where they learn rural and ecological aspects. At the end of the tour, students attend a painting workshop, where they apply the dye cochineal in garments or canvas.
2. Training program. This program is aimed to indigenous and handcraft women to help them acquire the skills and knowledge to cultivate dye cochineal and allow them to establish cactus orchards, as a mean to generate additional income that would improve their quality of life. As part of the training, beneficiaries can learn the different techniques to apply natural colorants to different kind of garments so they can add value to their products.
3. Preservation of the dye cochineal program. Over 50 years, the dye cochineal has been preserved and kept alive from extinction. Annually, approximately 30 kilograms of the dried insect is sold, such income is re invested in the museum to keep it running. The product is sold to local artists and researches.

Nocheztlicalli is a unique cultural project with the objective to disseminate and promote the local heritage and environmental values to children and young people. This objective is achieved through guided tours, training workshops in capacity building and empowerment, cultural fairs, and gastronomic events. Nocheztlicalli aims to teach the new generations of Mexicans key aspects of their culture that drives sustainable development in their region.

Goal and purpose of the project:

The general objective is to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and the appreciation for the environment through an ecological center, whose main focus is disseminating the different aspects historical, cultural, scientific, environmental, biological, and artistic of the dye cochineal.

The origin of the dye cochineal in Mexico goes back to the Prehispanic age, later its boom during the colonial age, and finally its decay and almost extinction in 1850s with the invention of the chemical colorants. Since 1970s, almost over half a century we have been actively working to rescue and promote the dye cochineal, and since 2010 to work towards a more conducive environment for sustainable development through the ecological center.

Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:

Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico and as an individual of indigenous descent, I have experienced poverty in rural communities firsthand, and from an early age I devoted myself to fight poverty and economic growth for people most in need. Since I was 10 years old, I learnt the basic skills to cultivate the dye cochineal and cactus, this allowed me to observe the different stages of its development.

Over my young life, I became convinced that this is a unique and amazing project that involves and links art, science and culture, and together with the environmental aspects of the dye cochineal offers a perfect opportunity to cultivate and boost the research spirit in children and young people.

I am very pleased to be the founder of Nocheztlicalli museum. It has been a though journey and am very proud of what it has become, a natural reservoir with over 120 trees, 10k cactus, in the last 6 years we have adopted different plants natural colors, and we have attended over 3.5k children, trained 900 indigenous small producers, impacting over 20 communities by improving the culture and environmental environment.

Use of prize money:

I would like to use the monetary prize to: 30% for the acquisition of the didactic material for the training of handcrafter’s rural women. 35% to invest in the facilities and increase the capacity of the classroom dedicated to graphic arts (serigraphy and engraving). 15% to enhance the visual content of the spaced for exhibition, 15% to for maintenance of the cactus orchard, and the remaining 5% to invest in the promotion of the museum.