With the Colima Volcano filling the air with fireworks almost daily, it is no wonder that visitors to the state of Colima are asking for souvenirs related to El Volcán.
Molcajetes (mortars for salsas) shaped like little volcanoes seemed like a good idea to Mara Íñiguez, founder of Aprecio por México, a Colima-based organization dedicated to supporting Mexican artisans. Íñiguez then discovered the elegant and innovative molcajete designs of Guadalajara artist Paula Durán, which combine an interior of volcanic rock with a pinewood base, making the mortar much lighter, more attractive and more practical for serving hot dishes. Durán’s design seemed the perfect item to offer tourists in Colima.
There was only one problem: local artisans knew little about working basalt, the hard rock from which molcajetes are made.
Perhaps inspired by the fact that most of the so-called Volcán de Colima is in Jalisco, Íñiguez decided to draw upon the skills of the basalt sculptors of San Lucas Evangelista on the edge of Lake Cajititlán, located about 20 kilometers south of Guadalajara.
All of which explains why I found myself watching rocks being blown to pieces this morning on the hillside above San Lucas.
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