María Mercedes Canul Dzul (best known as doña Mechita), a 94-year-old piñata maker, portrayed at her home in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on October 21, 2023. Doña Mechita has been making piñatas for nearly thirty years, but she became famous when, a little over ten years ago, she started fashioning her piñatas as turkeys. She produces around 150 turkey piñatas from her home each year. She starts making them in January, and sells them for $350 Mexican pesos ($18 US Dollars) in the front room of her home each December, ahead of the Christmas festivities. This income helps her cover her living costs and medical bills as the monthly pension of $125 US Dollars per month she receives from the Government is insufficient. A piñata is often made solely of papier-mâché, and nowadays rarely using a clay pot as a container. It is decorated with shiny paper and colored tissue, then filled with candy, fruit, and small toys, to be broken during Mexican celebrations, particularly in birthdays, posadas, Christmas, and other festive occasions. Photograph by Bénédicte Desrus

Doña Mechita Puts Her Special Twist on Christmas Piñatas

ByBénédicte Desrus
María Mercedes Canul Dzul (best known as doña Mechita), a 94-year-old piñata maker, portrayed at her home in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on October 21, 2023. Doña Mechita has been making piñatas for nearly thirty years, but she became famous when, a little over ten years ago, she started fashioning her piñatas as turkeys. She produces around 150 turkey piñatas from her home each year. She starts making them in January, and sells them for 0 Mexican pesos ( US Dollars) in the front room of her home each December, ahead of the Christmas festivities. This income helps her cover her living costs and medical bills as the monthly pension of 5 US Dollars per month she receives from the Government is insufficient. A piñata is often made solely of papier-mâché, and nowadays rarely using a clay pot as a container. It is decorated with shiny paper and colored tissue, then filled with candy, fruit, and small toys, to be broken during Mexican celebrations, particularly in birthdays, posadas, Christmas, and other festive occasions. Photograph by Bénédicte Desrus

Doña Mechita, 94, has been making piñatas for nearly 30 years, but she became famous when, a little over 10 years ago, she started fashioning her piñatas as turkeys.

A Painting made by Mexican (from Campeche state) painter Isaac May of María Mercedes Canul Dzul (best known as doña Mechita), a 94-year-old piñata maker, hanging on the wall of Doña Mechita' home in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on October 21, 2023. Doña Mechita has been making piñatas for nearly thirty years, but she became famous when, a little over ten years ago, she started fashioning her piñatas as turkeys. She produces around 150 turkey piñatas from her home each year. She starts making them in January, and sells them for 0 Mexican pesos ( US Dollars) in the front room of her home each December, ahead of the Christmas festivities. This income helps her cover her living costs and medical bills as the monthly pension of 5 US Dollars per month she receives from the Government is insufficient. A piñata is often made solely of papier-mâché, and nowadays rarely using a clay pot as a container. It is decorated with shiny paper and colored tissue, then filled with candy, fruit, and small toys, to be broken during Mexican celebrations, particularly in birthdays, posadas, Christmas, and other festive occasions. Photograph by Bénédicte Desrus

She produces around 150 turkey piñatas from her home each year. She gets an early start, beginning production in January and selling them for MX$350 (US$18) in the front room of her home each November, ahead of Christmas festivities.

This income helps her cover her living costs and medical bills not covered by her government pension.

María Mercedes Canul Dzul (best known as doña Mechita), a 94-year-old piñata maker, portrayed at her home in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on October 21, 2023. Doña Mechita has been making piñatas for nearly thirty years, but she became famous when, a little over ten years ago, she started fashioning her piñatas as turkeys. She produces around 150 turkey piñatas from her home each year. She starts making them in January, and sells them for 0 Mexican pesos ( US Dollars) in the front room of her home each December, ahead of the Christmas festivities. This income helps her cover her living costs and medical bills as the monthly pension of 5 US Dollars per month she receives from the Government is insufficient. A piñata is often made solely of papier-mâché, and nowadays rarely using a clay pot as a container. It is decorated with shiny paper and colored tissue, then filled with candy, fruit, and small toys, to be broken during Mexican celebrations, particularly in birthdays, posadas, Christmas, and other festive occasions. Photograph by Bénédicte Desrus

A piñata is often made solely of papier-mâché, and nowadays, rarely uses a clay pot as a container. It is decorated with shiny paper and colored tissue, then filled with candy, fruit, and small toys, to be broken during Mexican celebrations, particularly on birthdays, during posadas, and at Christmas and other festive occasions.

María Mercedes Canul Dzul, a 94-year-old piñata maker, has breakfast at her home in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico on October 28, 2023. Photograph by Bénédicte Desrus

To purchase Doña Mechita’s unique piñatas, visit Calle 18 número 105e x 23 y 25, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, Mérida. Call ahead by contacting Doña Mechita’s daughter, Mercedes. WhatsApp: 999-746-2677

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