Taller Leñateros preserves indigenous culture through artisanal books

The Taller Leñateros, a collective based in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, is recognized for its role in cultural and environmental resistance through artisanal bookmaking. Members Petrona Hernández and Iyari Balderas Cruz explained that the workshop combines editorial creation with the recycling of materials such as old books, notebooks, cardboard, and natural fibers to produce handmade paper.

The project serves as a space for the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, integrating the wisdom of Sotsil, Tseltal, and Zapotec peoples. By publishing works such as the songs of Maya women using serigraphy, the collective works to preserve indigenous languages and traditions. The Taller Leñateros has been honored with the National Prize for Arts and Literature for its contributions to social fabric and cultural preservation.