Meet Rájná Artesanía Mexicana |

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rájná Artesanía Mexicana and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rájná, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Be consistent with our actions. Contribute our grain of sand. When developing a collective or personal project, we have to preach with actions. If we ourselves are not part of the change that is sought, it is of no use to express in words what we seek to change.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Rájná comes from the contraction of the word nrájná which originates from the word of the Mazahua/Jñartjo ethnic group and in English means “Flower”.

We are a group dedicated to the mobilization of artisanal products made in Mexico.

Share part of Mexican Culture to the world through its clothing and colors.

Each product is made by hand by artisans from the communities themselves; In this way, we contribute to the local trade and economy of each region.

As founding partners and Mazahua-Jñatjo natives, we want Rájná Artesanía Mexicana to have a national and international presence. and through embroidery to share, History, Tradition, Quality, Love and Hope.

Mazahua-Jñartjo textiles have been characterized by a strident tonal range, where color has an important meaning within the community; Their designs have represented the tradition of their culture, their family history, their way of living and perceiving their environment, expressing it through geometric, anthropomorphic, zoomorphic symbols such as the deer and the coyote, very representative of the area, as well as plants. and flowers typical of the region, which have a link with their worldview.

Rájná Artesanía Mexicana was born as a social project to improve the local economy, fair trade and the recognition of Mazahua artisans. Each garment is assigned a certificate of manufacturing origin, which contains details of the artisan, community of origin and characteristics of the garment. As a brand, we place the garments on the market and keep a minimum percentage to continue operating.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Welcome to the Mazahua community, located in the State of Mexico, Mexico. We have the privilege of having different activities for your greatest entertainment. To learn more about the Mazahua-Jñatjo culture, you must first visit the Centro Ceremonial Mazahua. This place has a museum dedicated to highlighting much of the tradition and culture of the region; It has another area where ceremonies are carried out on the first Sunday of each month; We thank the sun, the moon, the water, the wind, our mother earth. In this place you can also purchase unique pieces embroidered by artisans from the Mazahua-Jñatjo region.

Being a large community that extends across 13 municipalities (Almoloya de Juárez, Atlacomulco, Donato Guerra, El Oro, Ixtapan del Oro, Ixtlahuaca, Jocotitlán, San Felipe del Progreso, San José del Rincón, Temascalcingo, Valle de Bravo, Villa de Allende and Villa Victoria.), it is best to visit as many towns in the surrounding area as possible, each one has a story to share.

The food in the region is so varied, however, there are dishes that stand out, such as: lamb barbacoa and pork carnitas. These dishes can be purchased in different towns, their flavor will depend a lot on the place you go, your palate will be the happiest. Finally, A few shots of pulque is a traditional fermented drink from Mexico, whose origin is pre-Hispanic and is made from the fermentation of maguey. In the region it is a very popular drink, although scarce over time. It is said to be a drink made by the gods. Information from the Digital Library of Traditional Mexican Medicine at UNAM indicates that taken in moderation it works as a food supplement due to its protein and vitamin C and B complex content.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As a brand, we deeply appreciate the Mazahua community, our ancestors and, above all, the artisans of each town.

Every step we take is accompanied by the support of the Mazahua community, as a brand we seek to support and provide recognition to Mazahua artisans.

Taking advantage of the space, we thank those who support us by purchasing our products.

Finally, thank you to the founders of the brand, Alicia Sarmiento Estrada and Saúl Bacilio. Thank you for having the guts and courage to share part of the Mazahua-Jñatjo culture through contemporary traditional embroidery.

Pokju-Thanks.

Instagram: @rajna.artesania.mx

Facebook: @rajna.artesania.mx

Image Credits
Rájná Artesanía Mexicana