On Tuesday afternoon, we went to a Mayan village. We were allowed the special privilege of entering the house of a family who makes rugs, clothing and other woven handicrafts in the traditional Mayan way! This family has been creating textiles using only natural and traditional methods in their family for over 6 generations. Students got a chance to actually help in the process of creating wool yarn from raw sheered wool, and participated in the actual weaving using machines that have not changed in 150 years! All the spectacular colors are naturally made from plants, insects, bark and rocks. Afterward the family served us corn tortillas and queso fresco that they make themselves. Afterward, everyone had the chance to buy some of these incredible items.
|Hannah helps turn sheered wool into yard!!|
|This weaving machine is over 150 years old!! Here, Ariana works with the son. Everyone in the family works everyday and the designs, which are ancient and symbolic within Mayan culture are kept and passed down through memory only.|
|Check out these spectacular natural colors!|