Crafts and Cookware Tour
Winter 2008-2009

Called "an undiscovered Oaxaca" in a recent New York Times travel article, Pátzcuaro is a colonial town nestled in the Michoacán hills, and sits at an elevation of 7,200 feet. Pátzcuaro is a town of lovely old buildings lining narrow streets, of two town squares, Plaza Don Vasco de Quiroga and Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegram, and many shops that highlight the crafts that have made this area famous.

This idyllic scene belies a difficult past. The Spaniards subjugated the indigenous population, the Purepécha Indians, to such an extent that the Catholic Church excommunicated the leader and installed an enlightened bishop, Don Vasco de Quiroga.  Using the medieval guilds as a model, Bishop Quiroga based on the skills of the indigenous population, brought artisans from Spain to teach each of the villages around the lake a different craft. This freed the population from being under the Spanish tyranny. To this day, each village in the Pátzcuaro area is known for a specific craft, such as pottery, colorful woven textiles, straw figures, masks, copper, and guitar making.

Our tour of Pátzcuaro will take us to the different villages around the lake, including Santa Clara del Cobre, internationally known for copper-making, and Tsiningsun, known for its pottery.  Stay tuned for more details.

For More Information 

Arlene Krasner
Jumping Cow Culinary Tours
6279 NE Carillion Drive
Suite 104
Hillsboro, OR 97124

Phone 503.708.8096

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