Socioeconomic and commercial conditions and prospects for palm weavers in a community in the Mixteca Region of Oaxaca

Abstract

This research analyzes the socioeconomic conditions of 25 women palm weavers in Zapotitlán Palmas, Oaxaca, with the aim of identifying the productive, commercial, and generational factors that influence the continuity of this craft. Using a mixed-methods approach, structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the information was analyzed through descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests, and thematic content analysis. The results show that palm weaving is carried out mainly by adult and older women, most of whom have basic levels of schooling and learned the craft from an early age. Although handicraft production was present in all households as a source of income, it represented the main source of income for only a minority; in most cases, it functioned as a supplementary source of income within diversified household economies. In addition, a positive relationship was identified between hours worked and weekly income, and it was observed that weavers who combine purchasing and collecting raw materials obtain higher incomes than those who depend exclusively on purchasing them. Among the main constraints identified are the rising cost of palm, its reduced local availability, dependence on intermediaries, individual marketing practices, and the absence of collective organization. On the cultural level, palm weaving continues to hold significant value within the community; however, its intergenerational transmission appears to be weakening due to the declining interest of younger people. It is concluded that palm weaving constitutes an economically relevant yet fragile activity, whose continuity depends on access to raw materials, improved marketing conditions, and the strengthening of its social and cultural reproduction.