![\"il_1140xN.3369740656_blor\"](\"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/il_1140xN.3369740656_blor-600x450.jpg\" "\\"il_1140xN.3369740656_blor\\"")
\n\tHuman cultures in the past believed in the existence of a duality between man and nature, in which a person might adopt the attributes, traits, or abilities of an animal with whom they shared a spiritual connection. This isn’t unique to Oaxaca. Egyptian, Sioux, Apache, and First Nation peoples of current-day Canada all shared similar beliefs.<\/p>\n
Ton\u00e1 was the name the Zapotecs gave to the guardian animal, and it was identified with each individual from the day of their birth. When a child was born, the father drew a circle of lime and mezcal at the house’s entrance to learn the child’s ton\u00e1.<\/p>\n
The circle was left overnight, and the scent of it attracted spirits in the form of animals. The father would go outside the next morning and look for the animal’s tracks that had been protecting the entrance all night. Throughout the child’s existence, the animal that corresponds to those tracks would be the child’s protective ton\u00e1.<\/p>\n
Still in existence today is a Zapotec calendar that recognizes 20 ton\u00e1s which include the jaguar<\/a>, the eagle, the serpent, the frog, the dog<\/a>, the hummingbird, the owl, the turtle, the mockingbird, the iguana, the possum, the chameleon, the armadillo<\/a>, the ram<\/a>, and many more.<\/p>\n The intimate bond between the Zapotecs and their ton\u00e1s is more than a simple belief; it’s a living tradition that weaves through the fabric of their daily life and spiritual understanding. These guardian animals are not just symbols; they are considered true companions and guides, influencing a person’s life journey and decisions.<\/p>\n In the art of alebrijes, this deep connection is vibrantly brought to life. Alebrijes, though a more recent development in Mexican folk art, have become a medium through which the ancient belief in ton\u00e1s finds a new expression. Each alebrije, with its fantastical design and vivid colors, is more than just a work of art; it is a modern-day tribute to these spiritual guardians.<\/p>\n Our gallery of ton\u00e1s and alebrijes showcases the diversity and creativity inherent in this art form. From the majestic jaguar, symbolizing strength and leadership, to the wise owl, a figure of intuition and knowledge, each alebrije is a representation of the attributes and essence of its corresponding ton\u00e1.<\/p>\n Through these artistic creations, we not only honor the past but also keep the spirit of the Zapotec ton\u00e1 alive in the present. As you explore the gallery, we invite you to reflect on the deep bond between humans and nature that these pieces celebrate, and perhaps, find a connection to a ton\u00e1 that resonates with your spirit.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Human cultures in the past believed in the existence of a duality between man and nature, in which a person might adopt the attributes, traits, or abilities of an animal with whom they shared a spiritual connection. This isn’t unique to Oaxaca. Egyptian, Sioux, Apache, and First Nation peoples of current-day Canada all shared similar…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[436],"tags":[432,434,435,431,433],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/IMG_3484-scaled.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2377"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2377"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2377\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2705,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2377\/revisions\/2705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oaxaca.art\/lujo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}