Alebrijes Workshop for Children and Community Activities

Sep 30

Xico (Arte y Cultura Xico A.C) is a nonprofit organization in Valle de Chalco, Mexico, providing cultural activities to children and youth in need in the local community. KONE Centennial Foundation has been supporting Xico since 2015.

Alebrijes workshop at the Ruben Jaramillo Elementary School

At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, in partnership with the Museum of Cartoneria, Xico organized an Alebrijes workshop for children at the Ruben Jaramillo Elementary School.

Alebrijes are Mexican folk art sculptures of mythical creatures. They were originally made with paper mache or wood carved. Alebrijes are attributed to the Mexican City-born artist Pedro Linares Lopez.

Alebrijes workshop at the Ruben Jaramillo Elementary School

The Alebrijes workshop was delivered in several sessions in the school. Children learned the basic craft techniques in making Alebrijes, such as paper mache and traditional dyeing. They were also encouraged to use their limitless imaginations and facilitated to render their imaginary creatures into the Alebrijes.

Alebrijes designed and made by children at the workshop

Community Activities

Xico continued to participate in a range of community activities across the year 2022.

Caravan for Water

Xico team participated in a community engagement project for the sustainability of Tláhuac Xico Lagoon which affects water source and supply for the local communities.

A two-day Caravan for Water Match took place in Valle de Chalco. The decorated caravans traveled across the neighborhoods to raise people’s awareness of water conservation, collect testimonials and call for actions to improve water supply and quality.

Xico’s Caravan for Water is a tricycle with decorations designed and made by the team. Xico’s caravan design represents the theme: “Without water, there is no life”.

Xico’s Caravan - “Without water, there is no life”

Xico’s Garden of Traditional Crops

For the purpose of raising the young generation’s awareness of the importance of land and traditional knowledge of agriculture, Xico planted a range of traditional crops in their garden, including corn, beans, pumpkins, huauzontle, chilacayote, and cempasúchil.