Transcript Amate Bark - English FCS

Amate Bark
Paper of the Otomi
Indians
Bark paper, papal amate, is
produced by hand in the
state of Puebla by
Otomi Indians using
bark from the mulberry
or fig trees. The
mulberry tree creates
off-white paper, while
the fig tree creates
much darker paper.
This bark paper is
boiled and soaked
overnight until soft
enough for the fibers
to pull apart.
It is then pounded
using a rectangular
rock with finger
grooves until the fibers
of the pulp fuse
together and are
evenly spread out in
the shape the papermaker wants.
Let’s make an
Example
1. Write your name on
the paper.
2. Crumble the paper.
Squish it without
tearing.
3. Paint ink wash to
resemble the bark
texture when it
dries.
How did the Otomi’s use their
paper?
In the beginning of time:
- clothing
-record keeping
Amate Cutouts
The symmetrical
cutouts are for
magical purposes.
- protect crops
-scare away evil
-guard homes
-bring good health
Amate Cutouts
The Otomi also used
the cutouts as
tokens of thanks to
the Earth for a good
crop.
Amate
Characteristics
What do we notice about the designs?
Amate
Characteristics
Amate Cutouts are:
- Symmetrical
- Stylized design
- Human forms that
represent the spirits
- Nature forms that are
important: plants,
animals, birds
Amate Bark
Painting
• Paper was sacred to
both the Mayans and
the Aztecs. It was the
medium on which
their history and
discoveries were
chronicled.
The Otomi people sell their
paper to neighboring
communities.
The Nahua
• The paper finds its
way to the Nahua
Indians of Southern
Mexico who have
excelled for several
generations at
painting bright village
and wildlife scenes on
the hand-made paper.
Much of the amate
paper goes to villages
in the state of
Guerrero where
artisans who once
decorated pottery
now paint imaginative
scenes of everyday
life, fanciful birds,
animals and flowers
on this special paper.
What do we see?
- Subjects from nature
birds, animals, plants
- Ornamentation /
Stylization
- Pattern
- Bright Colors