Today, we had the immense pleasure of hosting students from the Liceo Français de New York for a day of community action and ecological awareness in the vibrant town of San Martín Tilcajete.

Restoring the Home of the Alebrijes

San Martín Tilcajete is world-renowned for its stunning alebrijes—intricately carved and painted wooden figures. However, the popularity of these masterpieces has come at an environmental cost. The Copal tree, the primary source of wood for these crafts, has faced significant over-exploitation, leading to the gradual deforestation of the surrounding hillsides.

To combat this, our group rolled up their sleeves and headed into the fields to plant Copal trees. This wasn’t just a gardening project; it was a vital step in restoring the local ecosystem and ensuring that the tradition of the alebrije can continue for generations to come.

The “Palo que Habla” Project

We were honored to join the initiative led by the master artisans Jacobo and María Ángeles. Their visionary workshop created “Palo que Habla” (The Wood that Speaks), an ambitious ecological project dedicated to reforestation and sustainable forestry.

Seeing the students from New York work alongside local experts to give back to the earth was a powerful reminder of how global cooperation can drive local change. The “Palo que Habla” project is already showing incredible results, proving that with vision and hard work, we can heal the landscapes we inhabit.

“To plant a tree is to plant hope. Today, we planted the future of San Martín Tilcajete.”

More to Come!

This was just the beginning of our journey in San Martín. From artisan workshops to cultural exchanges, we have so much more to share about our time with the Liceo Français. Stay tuned to our blog as we continue to document the rest of our activities from this unforgettable day.

For now, we leave you with a glimpse of the breathtaking, infinite Oaxacan sky that watched over our work today.