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.
Women in Guatemala begin weaving by creating a ‘warp’ out of yarn. They wind the yarn around pegs on a warping board, crossing the strings in the middle to create a striped pattern. The warp is then attached to the bars of the loom and they are ready to begin the weaving process.
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.
This is Lidia Lopez, a native Mayan woman from Guatemala, showing some of the textiles she has woven on a backstrap loom.
A tradtional Guatemalan family cooking Pepian and making tortillas.
Huipils and textiles made by Mayan women in Guatemala are handmade. The thread is made by cleaning and spinning cotton.
Guatemalan people celebrating ‘Feria de Panajachel,’ a festival held every October.