The disappearance of the ‘Lily’ doll sparked a frenzy among Mexican fans in Qatar, just hours before they met Saudi Arabia in the third and final round of Group C competition at the 2022 World Cup.
Lusail Stadium will host the important match between Mexico and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, as the two teams aim to obtain one of the qualifying cards for the round of 16.
And Mexican media revealed on Tuesday evening the disappearance of the “Lily” doll, which was taken to Qatar to participate in the World Cup to reflect Mexican heritage, the newspaper “Diario” said in a report on its website : “Lily” was last seen near Souq Waqif, and fans have pointed out that Argentines are responsible for the theft.
The newspaper added: The doll made the masses go crazy after it was lost, after it was placed in the entrance of a restaurant to give fans around the world the opportunity to take commemorative photos with it, and one of the Mexicans stated that they neglected for 15 years before it disappeared.
disappearance
The history of the “Lily” doll dates back to Queretaro, which is located in north-central Mexico, and is one of the smallest states, but it is also the most geographically diverse state, which previously suffered from the Spanish invasion, which is still culturally, economically and educationally dominated.
“Lily” was flown to Qatar from Queretaro and Mexican fans messaged on social media to search for the doll. Pepe Correa, the manager of the restaurant where she last went, told ESPN: ‘What I do know is that they left her in one place and suddenly… She’s gone, and we hope to find her before the World Cup ends.
Aboriginal culture
The ancient peoples of Central and South America relied on traditions that transcended the material level, hoping that the spirit would bridge the cultural and spiritual divide between the indigenous Central Mexican Plateau region.
Once made of mud, corn and palm fronds, today it is covered in cloth, with its beautiful braids and crown-shaped pieces on its head, and the clothes it wears reflect the region it hails from.
The name “Lily Doll” means child in the Otome dialect, and according to the Otome people, this doll was mainly created to protect deceased children from evil spirits.
Ambassador Lilly
Since 2018, Lily has become valuable as a representative of Mexican cultural heritage, reflecting the skill of Queretaro’s indigenous artisans, who spend several days designing, sewing and decorating the figures.
“Lily” has represented a way to meet the traditions, beliefs and emotions of indigenous peoples, and has recently become part of the tourism promotion initiative launched by the Minister of Tourism in the state of Queretaro. The 1.5 long doll meters was sent on a trip to Qatar to introduce Mexico and the state to the world.
In addition to her presence at matches, she was placed in a restaurant in Doha, to inform tourists about the state “Lily” was from, as well as being available to take pictures with her.
Symbol of Mexican unity
Last November, the state of Queretaro unveiled the tourism campaign, through which it was announced that “Lily” is the state ambassador to the World Cup, and Erica Contreras Moreno, special projects coordinator of the Queretaro Tourism Secretariat, said declared: The World Cup is one of the most important international sporting events, it allows millions of fans around the world to meet and share the cultural aspects of different countries, and bring Lily to the World Cup, it is a valuable opportunity to promote Mexico, therefore our cultural ambassador can become a symbol of the unity of Mexicans.
Upon her arrival in Qatar, ‘Lily’ visited stadiums hosting the World Cup, from Al Bayt Stadium to Stadium 974, and also attended Mexico’s first match against Poland, which ended in a draw at clean sheets.
The interesting thing is that the Mexican media are now circulating the statements of the doll, who expected the results of the national team, and before facing Argentina, who defeated Mexico with a double, he said: I think Mexico has all to beat Argentina, because despite Messi’s possession, they have not reached the World Cup at their usual level, so I expect Mexico to win 2-1.
The match ended in Argentina winning 2-0 and star Leo Messi scored the opener and won the Man of the Match award.
craft
Interestingly, “Lily” is detailed by the hands of distinguished craftsmen who make special patterns and designs for the famous doll, and each craftsman makes one-of-a-kind pieces with selected embroidery and fabrics, and their copies will not be the same, being handmade, and it is possible to differ in colors and clothes, and this is the distinguishing feature of every Someone who does it by hand.
doll making
Mexico has always been famous for making dolls, and there are the scariest places in it, which is an island known as “the island of dolls”, located south of the capital, Mexico City, containing thousands of misshapen dolls that hang from trees, and the island can only be reached via a two-hour water journey.
In Mexico City there is a museum of old dolls, which from time to time witnesses an exhibition that includes more than a thousand dolls.
