Draft:Catalina Yolanda López Márquez

Catalina Yolanda Lopez Marquez (1951-Present) is a Oaxacan, Mexican woman who has brought back the age-old technique of cochineal dyeing, which originated from Mexico’s pre-Hispanic Heritage^[1]. Catalina also runs the Nocheztlicalli museum in Oaxaca, Mexico ^[2]. Marquez has brought back the practice and preservation of Cochineal dyeing to modern day Mexico and the world and succeeded with the help of her innovative greenhouse design the Nopaloteca.

Early Life

Catalina Yolanda was born in Oaxaca, Mexico in 1951. During the 70s in Oaxaca, Mexico there were only three Oaxacan families that were trying to conserve the Dacytlopius coccus Costa, also known for its common name of Cochineal^[3]. Due to the lack of people preserving this art, the Mexican government started a program where Catalina started her journey^[3]. She taught herself how to harvest and cultivate the red dye from the Cochineal over 50 years ago^[1]. She managed to bring back a cultural tradition and legacy to modern day.

Career and Innovations

Catalina has brought back and restored the age-old technique of cochineal dyeing, also known as grana in Spanish, with history dating back to pre-Hispanic Heritage Mexico^[1]. This Oaxacan cultural tradition is most commonly known as Grana Cochinilla, grew its popularity in the 16th to 19th centuries by becoming a competitive product with European dyes^[4]. Cochineal dyeing is done by harvesting the Cochineal from the cacti leaves and leaving them out to dry in the sun or speeding up the process drying them in the oven, then crushing them up into a powder to produce the colorant^[4].

Catalina Yolanda started learning this tradition and preserving the Cochineal insect by herself in the 80s. Between 1983 and 1985, she designed the first greenhouse specifically for the Cochineal to live and thrive on the cacti on which they grow on^[3]. She kept modifying her original design and eventually named it the Nopaloteca, its goal being to preserve and allow for the growth of the insect^[3]. It was eventually replicated throughout different Mexican states and continued its use in Nocheztlicalli museum where they use it to continue the traditional dyeing techniques^[5].

To continue the preservation of the art of Cochineal dyeing, she started the Nocheztlicalli Museum in Santa Lucia del Camino, Oaxaca, Mexico^[3]. Here they continue to preserve the tradition of Cochineal dyeing through hosting workshops to learn the technique, teaching about the art and science of the grana, and overall knowledge of traditional Mexican dyeing techniques.

Thanks to Catalina Yolanda, the Cochineal is now being preserved around Mexico for this age old dyeing technique ^[3] and there are more people learning the art of Grana Cochinilla in Mexico and other countries. She also has exhibits in Oaxaca, Mexico City, the United States, France, and England^[6]. Her legacy has already made an impact on the Oaxacan community and traditions and will continue through the creation of the Nocheztlicalli museum that her children will continue.

Awards and Recognitions

Catalina Yolanda received a variety of awards and recognitions for her work in the art of Cochineal dyeing, preservation of the Cochineal insect, and her Nopaloteca. Her innovative cultural approach to the greenhouse won the National Forestry and Wildlife Merit Award from the Secretary of Agriculture and Water Resources (SARH) in 1994^[3].

In 2007 and 2008 she was also awarded the Mexican Women Inventors and Innovators Award for her outstanding contributions to the preservation of culture and tradition of the Cochineal dyeing process^[1]. She was also given the Living Human Treasure title in 2023 by the Oaxacan Secretary of Cultures and Arts^[1].