Guadalajara — At the Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi, a Guinness record was set for something other than music.
A mosaic bead mural, measuring over 81 square meters and weighing two tons, is officially the largest in the world.
Built by Wixaritari artist Maurilio Rentería Guzmán and a team of 15 indigenous craftsmen, the mosaic took just over two and-a-half months to assemble.
Rentería Guzmán was hired by the local Chamber of Commerce to build the mosaic, integrating the Mariachi Encounter’s logo and depicting a woman wearing a typical dress from Jalisco and a man dressed as a charro, a suit that is popular with mariachi musicians. Both are adorned with flowers and multicolored shapes.
The work involved transferring the design in large format to 32 wooden frames that make up the mural, which were individually worked by the craftsmen who hand-glued the beads completely by hand.
The entire process was verified by Guinness World Records personnel, that verified that no gap appeared between the panels, creating a single piece.
To be a world-record winner, the mural had to surpass a 71.33-meter mosaic created in New Orleans, said the official adjudicator of the Guinness organization in Latin America, Carlos Tapia.
The Wixaritari, known in Spanish as Huichol, are an indigenous group from western Mexico, mainly from the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, famous for their colorful crafts.
With this achievement, Jalisco has 31 records and contributes to Mexico having 204 active world records, more than any other Spanish-speaking country.
“Mexicans have a strength (which is that) when they propose something, they achieve it. It is a union that they have from the people and they always want to be showing this type of crafts for everyone,” said Tapia.
Xavier Orendáin, president of the Chamber of Commerce, organizer of the Mariachi International Meeting, said that once this festival is concluded, the mural will be auctioned off with the intention of raising funds for the construction of a primary school in the indigenous community of Mezquitic, in the mountains of Jalisco.
The organizers foresee that the mosaic will remain in Plaza Liberación, in the historic center of Guadalajara, during the two weeks of the International Mariachi Encounter.
Source: El Universal
