The mystery of pineapple pots

Pineapple pots by Hilario Alejos

Did you ever wonder why pineapple pots, one of the most popular of Mexican folk arts, 

come primarily from a place where pineapples don’t grow?

Pineapple pots are particularly popular because pineapples have long been a symbol of warmth, welcome, friendship and hospitality. But how did pineapples get linked to hospitality?

The magazine Southern Living tells this legend about pineapples:

The sea captains of New England traded among the Caribbean Islands, returning to the colonies bearing their heavy cargoes of spices, rum, and a selection of fruits, which sometimes included pineapples.  According to the legend, the captain would drop anchor in the harbor and see to his cargo and crew. Once his work was done, he would head home, stopping outside his house to spear a pineapple on a fence post. This would let his friends know of his safe return from sea. The pineapple was an invitation for them to visit, share his food and drink, and listen to tales of his voyage.

As early as 1613, the Shirley Plantation of Virginia, a bastion of Southern hospitality, featured a pineapple finial atop its roof.

But, how did pineapples come to be part of the Mexican folk art scene? Some say they didn’t start out as pineapples … they were pine cones. Early buyers of the attractive pots thought they were pineapples and started calling them pineapple pots. Over time, the makers of the pots went along with the name and started making them look even more like pineapples.

Pineapple pots by Hilario Alejos

Hilario Alejos, is a featured artist in the beautiful "Great Masters of Mexican Folk Art" book published by Fomento Cultural Banamex and will be showing his work at Feria 2018. Keep in mind that these decorative pots start when a group of men with picks and shovels extract large chunks of clay which is put into sacks and brought back to the Michoacán village on the backs of burros or mules.

This is the raw material with which Hilario Alejos Madrigal creates his celebrated pineapple pots with their bright green glaze. Hilario’s work stands out for its dintinctive handcrafted appliqué work. He learned the secrets of working with clay from his mother, Elisa Madrigal Martínez, creator of the famous pineapples of Carapan.

In the beginning, they produced handmade utilitarian pieces but were drawn to creating more elaborate objects. Hilario and his wife, Audelia, began to fabricate new figures which they entered in diverse competitions. 

Outstanding are the ornamental pineapples, elaborated with techniques of appliqué and openwork, and whose production requires exceptional skill and mastery. Here is a brief video featuring Hilario.

Pineapple pots by Hilario Alejos

So, they may have started out as pine cones, but they are now, officially, a beautiful symbol of the hospitality and warmth of your home.

More about pineapples here.