Papier Mâchè Dolls — Muñecas de Cartón

Dancing Dog has been prowling the street stalls set up in front of the Basilica for the celebrations of the two big feast days of the Virgin Mary—the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8^th, and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12^th.

Among the warren of booths hawking everything from peanuts, fruit and street food to winter clothing and refrigerator magnets, are a number selling traditional toys, including the papier-mâchè dolls shown here. Known as muñecas de cartón, they are a traditional toy for young girls among the poorer classes, along with hobby horses (caballos de palo) for young boys.

These articulated dolls are painted in gaudy water-soluble poster paints (and hence, are said to be “allergic” to water). They are traditionally purchased by grandparents to give to their grandchildren or great-grandchildren, and are held in a kind of aura of nostalgic affection by the adult Mexican women in D.D.'s neighborhood. Regretfully, they are now being displaced by the ubiquitous plastic Barbies...

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