Tejeros and Brick makers (Chimaltenango, Guatemala): A craftsmanship building example in the XXI century

Abstract

The place known as El Tejar (in the Department of Chimaltenango, Guatemala) is located about 12 km from Antigua Guatemala, World Heritage City, famous for its richness in buildings and colonial ruins. El Tejar has been making roof tiles and bricks since the colonial period, for the use of domestic architecture as well as many others. The survival of this industry nowadays, when blocks made of cement and plastic or metal sheets have become the most dominant types of construction materials, is due to the prolonged restorations and neocolonialist constructions done in Antigua Guatemala. This change in market, from a popular architecture to a more elite one has not modified, whatsoever, the traditional formulas used in the production of roof tiles and bricks. In this article, we examine the work done by several brick manufacturing families, analyzing not only the techniques that are used (from the modeling of all the elements to the baking and selling), but the passing on of such techniques in the domestic ambit and the type of family-professional relationships that are established.