Welcome to the miniature version of Mateo Perez y Obregon and Juanita Naranjo de Perez Casa, in the mountains of Central Mexico. Mateo rides with a Charro club, his boots and saddle are in the zaguán (central entryway). Lobo, the dog, has a snack in the zaguán. He has the heart of a wolf, but is quick to welcome visitors. The Ojo de Dios (Eye of God) over the door in the zaguán was inspired by the Huichol indians in their religious observances in the mountains of Nayarit.
As the Perez family traveled around Mexico they became interested in the country’s rich heritage of crafts and are filling their home with these treasures. Much of their furniture is aromatic cedar, which blends well with the cooking aromas from Juanita’s cocina (kitchen). The cushions are hand-woven in Michoacán , a beautiful state of hills, mountains, and lakes. There they produced copper ware, lacquer ware, painted bowls, masks, and grew avocados. The green pottery is from Oaxaca to the south.
The shell design in the rug in the sala (living room) traces back to the time before the Aztecs arrived in the valley of Mexico long before the arrival of the Spanish. Note the hand carved furniture, wall hangings, and Mateo reading the newspaper after a long day at the Charro club.
In the alcoba (bedroom) are photos of Mateo’s abuelos (grandparents) on their wedding day. Juanita is proud of her hand blown glass menagerie on the tocador (dresser). On the painted chest is a matraca, a wooden noisemaker used in processions during Lent. There is a book by Spanish author Lope de Vega, and on the armario ropero (armoire) is an ironwood bird carving by the Seri indians on the Sonoran Coast.
In the baño (bathroom) is a very necessary basket for waste toilet paper as the plumbing system in the village is old and inadequate.
