sarape

The sarape NFT

Crafted following centuries-old traditional Mexican design and artisanal aesthetics, sarape original is a limited edition NFT collection generated 100% on-chain. Only 256 tokens will be minted and exist forever in the Ethereum blockchain.

Each sarape token is a (1/1) digital artwork. The color pattern is generated by a deterministic algorithm from a color pair seed chosen by the token minter. Once it has been used to mint a sarape, a particular color pair cannot be used again to mint another one, making the generated color pattern truly unique. By the nature of this interaction, each minter becomes an original author in this NFT series.

Sale dynamics

An initial supply of 64 sarape original tokens (SARP) will be reserved for claiming only by owners of Colorverse RGB color tokens (no minting fee, only gas costs; restricted to one token per address).

After all tokens in the initial supply have been claimed, sarapes can be minted for a fee. As of this point, there will be no requirement to own the colors used for minting, and there is no limit to the number of tokens that can be minted by an address, as long as there are tokens available. The initial mint price will be 0.016 ETH. The mint price will increase to 0.08 ETH when there are only 32 tokens remaining.

Why is the colorverse used in this project?

Each sarape token will be named according to its color pair. For example, if the colors chosen for minting are #ff2010 and #1020ff, the token name will be "ff2010.1020ff".

Claimed sarape tokens will have a special trait, since they will be minted using the colorverse RGB tokens as primitive meta-NFTs: If the RGB token has been named by the token holder, the sarape token name will be made of the color names, instead of the color hex codes. For example, if the color pair used for minting is #ff0000 and #0000ff, and these colors have been named in the colorverse "I love red" and "beyond blue", respectively, then the sarape token name will be "I love red, beyond blue" instead of "ff0000.0000ff".

This feature illustrates an implicit choice for the meta-NFT token holder to propagate the color name property into this NFT (as well as any others that have been minted using this method), confering a degree of on-chain authorship that transcends NFT ownership within the metaverse.

The sarape story

The Mexican sarape as we know it today, has its origin in the fusion of two cultures, over 500 years ago. This centuries-old tradition has been passed on from generation to generation, resulting in a wide variety of designs, handcrafting techniques and cultural interpretations.

In Nahuatl, the language of the Mexica (also known as the Aztec), this garment was referred to as Acocemalotic-Tilmatl, which can be translated as Rainbow Cape or Rainbow Blanket. As with many other prehispanic words and concepts, this one is both poetic and descriptive, and it is laden with meaning: Color had religious and societal implications in ancient Mexico. The rainbow was sacred to the Mexica, who believed that its colors were a gift from Heaven and their principal god Huitzilopochtli, who was represented on Earth by huitzilihuitl, the hummingbird. The plumage of these birds reflects and breaks light, revealing its full color gamut, making them seem like living rainbows.

Given the significance and importance of color in prehispanic Mexico, the choice of colors used in clothing was a matter of tradition and careful consideration. Foreign techniques and practices were introduced with the arrival of the Spanish, promoting the emergence of innovative designs and, ultimately, the signature pattern which combines a plain cotton base with an interwoven colorful wool layer. The resulting product was robust and durable, and it was effective protection against the weather. Originally a family trade and heritage, sarapes have been manufactured in this emblematic style in the region of Saltillo since before the Industrial Revolution, which would later lead to their wider commercialization.

The unique, distinct design and weaving style known today as sarape de Saltillo, involving the characteristic rainbow-like motifs expressed in endless color combinations, has become iconic and sticks out amongst a myriad of regional variations. It is considered a symbol of Mexican culture, and it is in fact part of the national attire, the charro suit.

The sarape original NFT is an alegory and a hommage to the unmistakeable aesthetics of this traditional form of textile art.