Candelilla - Wax Making in the Big Bend Area

Used mainly in products such as lipstick, lotion, and chewing gum, candelilla wax is derived from the leaves and stalks of a variety of shrubs native to the desert of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. This silent film, produced by Joe Graham, documents wax production in Texas' Big Bend region, from the gathering of the stalks and the preparation of the acid bath, to the skimming of the wax. Footage also includes panoramic shots of the Big Bend scenery and workers engaged in activities such as making tortillas, and hobbling their donkeys.