Oaxaca's Tlachiqueras Keep Pulque Tradition Alive Through Generations

In the Indigenous communities of Oaxaca, women have long been the heart of pulque production. Known as tlachiqueras, they harvest agave sap, craft the traditional drink, and sell it to support their families. For generations, this work has been a lifeline—especially in the Ñuu Savi (Mixtec) villages, where women like Catalina and Alejandra have carried on the trade since childhood. Catalina Barrios Victoria first helped her father plant maguey at just seven years old. As she grew, she learned to scrape the agave plants to extract aguamiel, the sweet sap fermented into pulque. The process demands skill: timing, weather, and seasonal shifts all shape how the sap is gathered and turned into drink.

Alejandra Barrios Ávila’s path was similar. She began assisting her mother full-time after her father’s early death. Later, as a widow raising children alone, she relied on pulque sales to provide for her family. Both women now work in Santa Cruz Nundaco, where they plant, tend, and harvest agave—work that keeps the tradition alive. The trade is not without challenges. A decade ago, a pest outbreak threatened agave crops across the region. In Ndostayi, families fought back, finding ways to save their plants and protect their way of life. Today, the scarcity of pulque agave—thriving only in certain climates—makes the tlachiqueras’ knowledge even more vital. Their care ensures the plants survive for future generations. For these women, pulque is more than a drink. It is a craft passed down through families, a source of income, and a bond to their land and culture.

The work of tlachiqueras like Catalina and Alejandra sustains both their households and a centuries-old tradition. Their expertise in growing, harvesting, and fermenting agave keeps pulque flowing in Oaxaca’s Indigenous communities. Without their dedication, the drink—and the agave it depends on—could fade away.