Living From Art, Culture, And Tourism: The Systemic Dynamization of The Fine Mata Ortiz Pottery Trade Routes

Abstract

Pottery making, ancestral culture and sustainable tourism come together in the little-known, northwestern community of Juan Mata Ortiz in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. The artisans of Mata Ortiz are recognized for the making of fine pieces of pottery on which the antique culture of Casas Grandes is represented. This cultural renaissance has turned the region into a sustainable tourist attraction, not only because of the commercial interest in handicrafts and pottery, but also because of the rediscovery of a culture that was thought to have disappeared. The objective of this work is to develop a systemic model for the dynamization and development of the tourist routes that the Mata Ortiz cultural phenomenon gave rise to. We adopted qualitative methods, including structured, in-depth interviews to reveal the way in which the system of commercialization of pottery (inputs, processes, and outputs) have evolved and how this dynamization has positively influenced tourism. Findings suggest that the quality of the pottery, the unique designs, and the artisans´ techniques and talents are the main factors explaining the dynamics of the pottery commerce. As a result of an enhanced market, tourists are arriving to Mata Ortiz to meet artists, to familiarize with local culture and to look for an opportunity to acquire a unique, perhaps contest-winning piece. Results also revealed that COVID-19 shutdown did not affect the long-term pottery marketing, showing a renovated interest in the beauty of the craftmanship. We concluded that an intensified arrival of tourists is associated to both cultural and commercialization phenomena derived from the making of Mata Ortiz pottery and from the rediscovery of a prehistoric culture.