Guadalajara, Mexico, Jul 18 (EFE).- Members of the indigenous Wixarika community, in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, are creating an 81-sq mt (882-sq ft) mural using thousands of colorful beads in an attempt to earn a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for the world’s largest mosaic.
A team of fifteen Indians from the town of San Sebastian, in the northern mountain range of Jalisco, are working around the clock in an effort to finish the 32 pieces that will make up the colorful mosaic, which will weigh a total of two tons when it is finished.
The Wixaritari – whose colorful handmade beaded crafts are renowned the world over – are native to the Pacific states of Jalisco and Nayarit.
Maurilio Renteria Guzman told EFE that his team has been working for seven weeks on the project, which will aim to showcase the splendor of Mexican folklore and the elegance of Jalisco’s traditional attires to the world.
The craftsman also said that the hardest part was transferring the design to the plywood sheets that serve as bases for each individual piece, as this is the first time a mosaic this size is created.
“We have had to put it together piece by piece like a jigsaw puzzle and then we had to thread the lines to match,” he said. “It has all been quite a challenge for us. We thought about it for almost half a day to see how we would be able to accomplish that and it took us two days.”
The mosaic represents not only a source of employment for the local families, but also a chance to showcase their art and culture to the world.
“Whether at a national or international level, this is a very large project that will put both the Wixaritari and Jalisco on the map,” Renteria added.
The 32 segments are expected to be finished within the next few days and will be mounted as a single piece ahead of its presentation during the International Mariachi Festival on August 20.