Entre el textil y el ámbar: Las funciones psicosociales del trabajo artesanal en artesanos tsotsiles de La Ilusión, Chiapas, México

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the psychosocial functions of the artisan work made by indigenous artisans from a Tsotsil community in Chiapas, Mexico. The analysis of handicrafts encourages reflection on economic aspects in intimate relation with cultural and psychosocial elements. It is argued that those who work on the production of handicrafts face many difficulties such as precariousness, little social recognition, discrimination and exclusion. Despite this all, handicrafts contribute to the economic, social and cultural reproduction of those who make them. Also, handicrafts are privileged elements as they are vehicles of multiple social, historical and group belonging meanings through which is possible to “track” processes of social transformation. Based on the findings obtained while conducting field work in Chiapas, a model of the psychosocial functions of the indigenous artisan work is proposed in this dissertation.