Mayan Textiles: Generational Art & Years of Tradition

For centuries, Mayan women have kept alive the tradition of weaving that produces some of the most globally recognized textiles. At a glance, it may appear these clothing pieces are fairly similar, but coming to understanding the history and culture of Guatemala and having the opportunity to take a closer look at textiles from several villages, you can glean that these textiles are far more complex and representative of more than you can imagine.

In San Juan La Laguna, I visited a weaving cooperative, where a lovely Mayan woman walked me through the five-step process they employ that eventually becomes all the fabric and clothing we recognize as textiles in Guatemala.

Wherever I am, I try to draw parallels between the life I know at home and the place I’m currently visiting. When I saw baskets of cotton, it reminded me of early fall in Virginia when, driving countryside, you might stumble upon fields of white fluffy cotton. Cotton was once Virginia’s largest cash crops and similar to Guatemalan culture, the cotton grown in Virginia is largely used to make clothing.

Having never truly thought about the actual process of how cotton becomes our clothing, I was incredibly curious throughout the demonstration.

In our fast-paced, technological society where things are readily available when we need them, I was captivated by the idea that the Mayan people have not only an extraordinary ability to make their clothes, but seemingly a strong desire to make them. Even more, I was amazed that everything they used came from the earth, from the wooly cotton to the brilliant dye to the wood-carved looms. This sort of resourcefulness was refreshing to see, and I ultimately found myself with even more reverence for this grueling, beautiful process.

The same way I choose my style of dress based on my mood and personality, so these women also learn to design clothing that is not only personally representative but also indicative of larger ideas like her religion or the community she comes from. Down to the technique, this process of creating textiles is about pride in one’s culture. This is so much the case, that in a rapidly changing world where younger generations are globally influenced and finding their own sense of self however that may look, many Mayan women are intent on keeping these weaving traditions alive.

I suppose if I grew up in Mayan culture, I may be searching for other as well, but as an outsider looking in, I quite wished I had the skill to take beautiful things from the earth and make more beautiful things, and even more, someone eager to pass this great knowledge on to me.

Through and through, religion and belief are still major influences for this process, as it is widely believed that the moon goddess taught the first woman how to weave. Believing the skill to be a gift from God, young girls might sew their first piece by the age of 8 or 9, which may then be given as an offering in exchange for the blessing of greater skill.

There was a sort of conviction behind absorbing this process and learning the history of it, that I thought long about whether I truly use my gifts in reverence to God, but also what comparable skills were passed down to me that I can impart into the next generation for safe keeping. This kind of experience is ultimately the reason I travel- not expressly for personal gain, but how I can give back beauty in its many forms to the world and those around me.