These women are celebrating ‘Semana Santa,’ or Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala. Semana Santa is a Catholic celebration of the passion, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The entire city participates in the event. These women are dressed in traditional Mayan clothing called ‘traje.’ They are wearing ceremonial huipils (blouses) and they have ‘tzutes’ folded up on their heads.
Guatemalan Woman Showing Huipils
The Guatemalan woman in this photo is making thread from cotton.
Guatemalan people celebrating ‘Feria de Panajachel,’ a festival held every October.
Lidia Lopez teaching visitors how to set up and weave on a backstrap loom.
Lidia Lopez showing a ceremonial huipil and a huipil from Tactic and telling the meanings of the patterns on them.
The women of Guatemala have worn the same traditional dress (called ‘traje’) for centuries. They have passed down the art of weaving these textiles through many generations.