Sarapes are colorful, rectangular garments worn in South America, Central America, and Mexico. Saltillo sarapes from northeastern Mexico are often patterned with bright stripes, while Guatemalan sarapes are heavy woolen blankets with Mayan motifs. Both are still produced today.
A sarape is a colorful piece of clothing that is worn by the peoples of South America, Central America and Mexico. Not to be confused with ponchos, sarapes are long, rectangular garments that can be wrapped around the body like a shawl to protect against the cold and other natural elements. The garments were originally made in Coahuila in northeastern Mexico.
Coahuila is near the city of Saltillo. Textiles are still being created in the Saltillo region today. Descendants of many Saltillo people date back to the early Chichimec, a people who migrated from the Casa Grande area of northern Mexico to central Mexico.
The sarapes made in this area are often referred to as saltillo sarapes. Textiles from this region are often patterned with stripes of bright color such as yellow, orange, red, or green, against a dark field such as brown or black. There are, however, sarapes which are made in lighter palates with white or cream fields and pastel bands. Like many shawls, the ends of the sarapes are often fringed.
Sarapes have been made for many generations and are still produced today. Sarapes of many different designs and qualities can be purchased in today’s market. They are mostly sold in the southwestern United States or in stores dedicated to this region of the world. They can also be imported. Discerning buyers can look for vintage sarapes. A vintage sarape may be of interest to a collector due to the specific craftsmanship or design evident in the garment.
Although the term sarape refers to a shawl, not a poncho, the term is used differently in Guatemala. In Guatemala, sarape is used to define a garment that is very similar to a poncho. In this country, sarapes are heavy woolen blankets that have an opening in the middle. The wearer inserts their head through the opening and wears the Guatemalan sarape like a poncho. Some Guatemalan sarapes are created with matching hoods to cover the head. In general, a sarape is long enough to reach the knees of a person of average height.
Although the color palates are often similar in Guatemalan sarapes to Saltillo sarapes, the designs within the fabric are quite different. Also, the use of bright colors in Guatemalan sarapes is less common. The design patterns in Guatemalan sarapes are large and often incorporate Mayan motifs rather than simply bands of colour. Guatemalan sarapes are usually handcrafted by community women who use their own looms to create the garments. Then a broker, often a member of the community, takes the items to local markets.
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