HUIPILES

fortunately, the Mayan women of Guatemala have somehow managed to keep their brightly coloured and uniquely designed traditional huipiles.  these tops are belted into the traditionally woven skirts and are highly symbolic.  the huipile of each village has it's own design and so it's quite easy to see where a women is from by looking at her garments.  This practice was begun by the conquistadors when they arrived from Spain to help them keep track of the native Mayans. 

during the recent civil war in Guatemala in the 1980' and 90's, the military tried to stop the Indians from practicing their traditional arts.  fearing that those who were fighting against them were using the Indians to support their cause, the Guatemalan military attacked Mayan villages, destroying over 400 of them and killing hundreds of thousands of people. They smashed thousands of weaving looms and even studied huipile design patterns to tell which villages people came from.  a person was automatically suspect if they came from a village where the military suspected there to be anti-government forces.  many Maya fled Guatemala to become refugees in other countries.

In spite of the harshness of these years of civil war, and of the poverty in which numbers still live, most Mayan women continue to wear their traditional dress everyday and to maintain the ancient art of backstrap weaving.

 

i couldn't get enough of these beautiful fabrics...both the intricate and colourful designs and the obvious pride with which the women wear them.  i was just so captivated by the beauty that is created and worn by these people, even in poverty.  they could just as easily wear jeans and t-shirts like everyone else, but they wear the huipiles and wrap around skirts with an eloquent pride and quiet dignity for their rich heritage and culture.

these photographs were all taken in the town of Chichicastanganga, not far from Lake Atitlan.  the bottom 2 pictures were taken on the steps of the Catholic church, Iglesia de Santo Tomas which dates from about 1540, and where a unique form of worship is practiced, integrating the traditional Mayan sacred rituals with those of Catholicism.  for much of the day the steps of the church smolder with copal incense while the indigenous prayer leaders (the kneeling woman) swing sensers containing balsam incense and chant words in honor of the ancient Mayan calendar and their ancstors.

the flowers on the steps were sold for offerings and the floor of the ancient church was strewn with rose petels, gladiolia and burning candles.  i felt very honoured to be allowed to view this place of worship and the people, for whom it is such an important part of their lives.

Comments

[Stephanie]

Your pictures of fabulous! I love the women in their huipiles. I hadn't been by to visit and an glad to see the posts. Must go read the rest of this wonderful trip!

[Martie]

I'm not sure which is better, the beautiful photography or the words which have allowed me an insight into this culture! Thank you for both.