Rebozos by Carmen Tafolla & Catalina Garate de Garcia
Monday, June 24, 2013
by: Reviewed by Minerva Alaniz

Section: Adult Book Reviews


June 2013

Reviewed by Minerva Alaniz, Associate Librarian, Texas Tech University. Minerva is member of REFORMA and chair of the REFORMA Mentoring Committee.

Who would have known that a rebozo (shawl) would have such significant meaning to so many women of Mexico?  It has become a cultural icon to them.  I have owned several rebozos that have had meaning to me since they were given to me or I bought in Mexico not knowing there was a significant meaning behind them.
 
Carmen Tafolla has captured the meaning of a rebozo through her poetry.  She writes her poetry in English and Spanish.  The poetry takes you to a world of enchantment and wonders.  The poetry describes so many feelings and emotions from happiness to death of someone and so on felt by many women.  Carmen was inspired to write her poetry by the women in her neighborhood, the way they lived, the stories they told and how each reminded her of the rebozo and its meaning.
 
Catalina Gárate de García has captured the emotions in her paintings that have been written by Carmen Tafolla in her poetry.  Catalina was inspired to paint women in rebozos when she travelled around Mexico.  She saw how they used and wore the rebozos and knew these told a story.
 
Rosa Guerrero is a dancer who decided to use a rebozo to dance the emotions described in Carmen’s poetry and Catalina’s paintings.  She was inspired to dance with the rebozo as she had seen so much discrimination and poverty in the lives of so many people especially children.
 
The three women have collaborated to represent the meaning of what a rebozo is.   Each in their own way, but have captured so many emotions that it gives you a feeling of wonderment and awe.
 
 
The book also includes an Afterword: The Rebozo as Cultural Icon by Hector García Manzanedo, Ph.D.  He describes how the rebozo was an important garment in the lives of Mexican Indian women for over 400 years.

Rebozos by Carmen Tafolla & Catalina Garate de Garcia. 2012. San Antonio, Tex: Wings Press. 44 pp: ill. $19.95. Hardback. ISBN: 978-0916727987. English/Spanish

 
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