We were fortunate enough to meet Josefina Castillon de Correa on her 80th birthday. Working out of her home with the help of her son and daughter, she was working on Day of the Dead coronas – crowns made with bamboo and decorated with colorful paper, used as offerings for the dead. A lifelong resident of Puerto Vallarta, Señora Castillon has been making piñatas for over sixty years. Although most piñatas today are made of cardboard covered with colored papier-mâché, she continues to make the traditional cántaro piñatas because she says the thrill of breaking the clay pot inside can’t be beaten.
You can see and buy Josefina Castillon’s work at her home on Zaragoza Street, or you can visit her at the Islita del Cuale Cultural Center, where she is a volunteer teacher. If you’re lucky, she’ll sing La de los Claveles Dobles
(The Girl with the Double Carnations
) for you.
