If you’re in Mexico, and especially if you’re in Oaxaca, it’s impossible to miss the alebrijes. Their variety is only limited by imagination. They’ll typically be carvings of fantastical beasts in all shapes and sizes, mishmashing animal and human body parts, painted with colors and patterns like evolution just got a subscription to Photoshop and went wild. They’re the kind of souvenir that always brings joy when you see them sitting happily on your mantlepiece. But you might be wondering: what’s the origin of alebrijes? What do they mean? Where do they come from?
Let’s explore…
What is the ancient history of alebrijes?
The ancient history of alebrijes stretches back very far. All the way back to the 1940s! Ok, so maybe not as far back as people might expect. But the history of alebrijes is an example of how a fun, creative idea can spread. And it was certainly helped along by how it fit into traditional crafts and mythology that had a much longer history.
The term “alebrije” was coined by Mexico City-based artist Pedro Linares in the early 1940s. Linares specialized in cartonería, a traditional papier-mâché artform. The story is that he was sick, fell into a fever dream, and found himself dreaming of a forest where there were all of these unusual animals shouting “Alebrijes! Alebrijes! Alebrijes!” After he recovered from the illness, he began crafting these fantastical animals in his cartonería creations.
BUT if you’ve seen an alebrije, it probably hasn’t been made from paper. It’s likely been made from wood, specifically: copal wood. And the place most famous for alebrijes is Oaxaca, not Mexico City. So how did alebrijes go from paper sculptures in Mexico City to wood sculptures in Oaxaca?
The influence of tonas and nahuales
In the valleys of Oaxaca, Zapotec communities had a long tradition of carving tonas from copal wood and painting them with the natural dyes the region was well-known for. The tonas are the animals of the Zapotec calendar, like zodiac signs, but more like a companion animal and protector through life. So when a child was born, they’d receive a carving of their tona.
When you’re in Oaxaca, you’ll notice that many of the alebrijes are not strange animals with duck flippers, armadillo bodies, and dragon heads. They might simply be a beautiful jaguar or colorfully painted dog. The tradition of carving animals from the Zapotec calendar hasn’t gone away. But the tonas get sold as “alebrijes” now because that’s what the tourists are looking for.
A nagual or nahuales is a term from the Nahuatal language that refers to people who could transform into animals or take on animal traits. And there was a long tradition of carving figurines, making masks, or crafting from gold, the animal that someone like a shaman (a nagual) would transform into through ceremony.
So there were already skilled artisans in the Oaxaca valleys creating brightly painted animal carvings. And then it sounds like a combination of Pedro Linares connecting with artists from Oaxaca, along with government agencies looking to promote tourism and economic development, nudged local industries in Oaxaca towards producing alebrijes.
Where are the best places to get alebrijes around Oaxaca?
If you’re looking in Oaxaca Centro for alebrijes to take back as gifts, there are two places with large selections I’d recommend:
- La Casa de las Artesanías de Oaxaca – Open from 9am to 9pm except on Sundays, when it’s open from 10am to 6pm. It’s in the northern part of Centro, near the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Google Maps Link
- The Mercado de Artesanías – Open from noon to 7pm every day. It’s located in the southern part of Centro, a few blocks south of the zocalo. Google Maps Link
But if you have the time, go straight to the source. Here are two towns not far from the center of Oaxaca, where you can purchase alebrijes directly from the artisans:
- San Martín Tilcajete – There’s an alebrijes market on Fridays in the main square but there are shops and workshops open throughout the week. Takes just under an hour to drive there from Centro depending on traffic. Google Maps Link
- San Antonio Arrazola – A town near the foot of the Monte Alban complex, you can often find tours that will cover Monte Alban with a stop at the family-run shops specializing in alebrijes. Around a 40 minute drive from Centro. Google Maps Link
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