Mexican Tehuana women wear United States gold coins - Traveltalks Mexico

WillieBoyd2

From the 1942 MGM short film "Traveltalks - Exotic Mexico":

In Tehuantepec are scenes of local women called "Tehuanas" who wear jewelry made from real United States gold coins.

The narrator mentions that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec was the shortest route from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and was an important route to California during the Gold Rush.

The film then shows scenes of Mexican women living in Tehuantepec who are called "Tehuana" women.

One of their customs is to wear handmade self-embroidered colorful dresses. Another custom is to wear gold necklaces, earrings, and bracelets made of 5, 10, and 20 dollar gold pieces "in the coin of the United States".

Tehuana woman with necklace

Tehuana woman's necklace close-up

The narrator continues that the custom began during the Gold Rush days when some American miners would linger in Tehuantepec and, attracted by the local women, remained and married them.

And this from The New York Times, September 13, 1923:

YUCATAN IS LAND OF MISSING GOLD
Mestizas and Indian Maidens of Tehuantepec Also Laden With American Coins.

VERA CRUZ, Mexico, Sept. 12.
There are reports of missing gold in Yucatan and Tehuantepec. The amount of gold coins which has been withdrawn from circulation is astounding. Millions of dollars in coined gold now hang from the brown necks of Indian maidens in Yucatan and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

CaptHenway

I saw that short on TCM and was amazed!

Slade01

That's a humorous look back. Oddly, I have a 1947 50 peso coin that some foolish person put a jewelry ring around. I expect that if I take it off it is damaged and will just go to melt so instead I use it for a paperweight on my desk.