Women of Chiapas are Weaving for Justice
Maya women weavers in Chiapas keep their language, lands and ancestral backstrap-loom traditions alive with support from Weaving for Justice.
By Latino Cultural Arts Center
Pictured above are the three Co-founders of Weaving for Justice: Pancha, Margarita and Lucia, along with the women and children of the Tsobol Antzetik weaving co-op, photographer Carol Vanier.
Last year, Weaving for Justice connected Hijos del Sol to Tsobol Antzetik (Women United), a textile weaving co-op made up of Tsotsil-speaking Maya women in Chiapas, México. As a non-profit organization run by volunteers, they work in solidarity with weaving cooperatives by providing support so these women can continue living on their ancestral lands and to preserve their language and traditions.
The official meeting house for the Tsobol Antzetik.
Maya women have been weavers for as long as their people can remember. According to Mayan mythology, the Moon goddess, Ixchel, taught women to weave sacred designs that symbolize the balance that people, plants, animals, Earth, and other spiritual beings must maintain to keep the world "in flower".
Their traditional process includes a backstrap loom, where an artisan ties the bottom of the loom around her lower back using a wide leather belt. They then attach the other end to a fixed and sturdy object such as a tree. The complex embroidered decoration that is produced can be used to identify either the family and/or village where the garment is from. This attention to detail required for a piece may take months to complete. Masterfully crafted, Tsobol Antzetik’s apparel breathes a new life into any wardrobe.
All the apparel, accessories, and home décor at Hijos del Sol are made by hand and carry a history that can be told through patterns, colors and symbols. Join us for our next shopping event, Celebrando a la Mujer, at Hijos del Sol, where 15% of sales will be donated to Tsobol Antzetik. The donation will go towards the women, so they can continue to co-create and preserve their local traditions.
