The Salt Museum of Cuyutlán - El Muséo de Sal by Don Adams, Cuyutlán, Colima, México

Pride in Cuyutlán’s contribution to the history of Mexico is evident in the simple displays housed in this well-maintained recently re-modeled museum. It serves as a tribute to both the 16th Century salt harvesters and the modern salt producers, the salineros, who work from March to June in the salt flats of the 35 kilometer Laguna de Cuyutlán, the Cuyután Lagoon.

Salt was paid as tribute to early Aztec rulers and its use was restricted to those of the ruling class. After the conquest great amounts of salt were needed by the Spanish as a food supplement for their cattle, and for use in curing the hides of the animals for use in leather manufacture.

Salt became an even more valuable resource in Mexico when it became a part of the mining enterprises of early Spanish entrepreneurs. In 1536 German miners brought the technique of smelting to the mines of México and South America, but it was satisfactory for processing only the richest ores. At the Pachuca mines, in 1556, Bartoleme de Medina introduced a more efficient method of extracting silver from the ore. The beneficio de patio method revolutionized mining in Mexico by using salt in the extraction process. This allowed miners to economically recover precious metals from low-grade ore, as well as to recover much of the expensive imported quicksilver that was essential to the purification process.

Cuyutlán salt was highly regarded and sought-after for use in mining because it settled more quickly and formed larger crystals. Immense fortunes were earned by the owners of salt producing areas throughout the country but unfortunately the salineros shared in little of it. The museum offers a look back into the history of these laborers who were so important to the early financial growth of México.

The complex story of the ownership of the salt deposits shows the first owner to have been Gonzalo de Talavera, a conquistador who fought by the side of Cortes during the capture of Tenochtitlan, and in later campaigns in Colima and Michoácan. Claims and counter-claims as to true ownership raged for centuries until finally, in 1919 President Venustiano Carranza appropriated the Cuyutlán lagoon salt grounds as federal property. In 1925 the Cooperative Society of Colima Salt Workers was given authority to oversee and control all matters concerning the production of salt in the area, a charge that continues to this day.

Those with a passion for historical research will enjoy consulting other sources to work through this interesting part of Cuyutlán’s history.

Your tour of the museum begins with what many visitors regard as a surprise; the admission price. Pay what you wish. The museum accepts donations, so you set the price.

Directly in front, as you enter, there’s a small display of sea turtle shells brought in from El Tortugario. And off to your right is a table holding part of the skull, the lower jawbone, and a few upper vertebrae of a whale recovered from the beach in Cuyutlán.

The floor of the museum is the dark volcanic sand of the area but tiled walkways run around the perimeter to offer a smooth, clean surface which leads visitors past the displays. Large tabletop dioramas showing old salt collecting methods are set up in the middle of the room, an old warehouse converted to its present use.

Along the walls are a number of printed tarps telling the story of the salineros, as well as providing information about a few celebrities and politicians with links to the area. These are all in Spanish. Bring your English-Spanish dictionary and work on your language skills.

Your host Señor Bidal Mojarro Vazquez and his companion Siete will offer a warm welcome and assistance if needed.

Be sure to visit the Salineros (Salt Workers) webpage for more detailed information about modern methods of salt recovery from the Laguna de Cuyutlán.

The Salt Museum of Cuyutlán El Muséo de Sal by Don Adams August 2005 Click on the photos to see enlargements