The Ixkik Museum, centered on Mayan clothing and textiles is located in Quetzaltenango. Its foundation dates back to the year 2004, when four women decided to dedicate a museum to the art of traditional Mayan weaving. Its objective is to give value to the ancient Maya tradition of backstrap loom weaving and to the symbolism of the traditional gown. It is the only museum about Mayan weaving and Mayan fashion in the western Guatemala, the area with the highest density of Mayan population and with a strong weaving tradition.
Entering the museum, you will first get an introduction to the museum, the Mayan culture and the history of backstrap loom weaving. You will also be introduced into the Mayan calendar and you will get to know your astrological Mayan sign and its corresponding meaning. The museum is divided into different parts, which are dedicated to the weaving process and to each of the Mayan regions in Guatemala.
The first room introduces the weaving tradition and the Mayan textiles in general. Information panels explain how the different colours are obtained from natural plants and what they mean. You will also see how a typical backstrap loom looks like and how it works. In the further rooms you will find examples of the daily clothes and of the festive gown for each region. You can identify the different patterns and colours for each region and compare them with one another.
Additional explanatory texts and pictures give you further insights into the Mayan culture and how Mayan weaving still helps the women today in order to gain a regular income. The museum furthermore offers traditional backstrap loom weaving courses and Mayan language courses. It also includes a special library dedicated to Mayan history and culture, where you can find a lot of information about this ancient culture.
Any mini van bus from the Central Square Parque Centro América to Terminal Minerva will pass the museum