Pro Arte Maya ~ Marilyn Anderson

Not having been to Guatemala since 2003, my March 2007 trip was long anticipated. It’s also hard to believe that my relationship with Guatemala and its people began in 1965! This update describes aspects of my work since the last web letter in 2005, along with highlights of my recent trip.

First, here is an overview of the four Update topics which are treated in the full Update, found on What’s New pages.

1. The Pro Arte Maya Educational Project

In 2001, the first printing took place of the Mayan/Spanish languages Artes y Artesanías Mayas de Guatemala educational coloring book about arts and crafts traditions. The primary goal for this project has remained to print and distribute copies free of charge to children and teachers. Since 1997, I have continued to collaborate with Juan Zapil, (of the Jun Ajpu Ixb’alamke Council of Maya Schools) in relation to printing and distributing the book. In our March meeting, we talked about the need for a third printing.

The coloring book is also used and distributed by ILE (the Instituto de Linguistica y Educación, Universidad Rafael Landívar). They will include 2 copies of it as part of a mini-library project which will go to 775 rural schools throughout Guatemala. Its continued utilisation by the Council of Maya Schools and Universidad Rafael Landívar encourages me to work toward a reprinting. Some donations already have been received that are in the account of our (501(C)(3) financial sponsor, Rights Action.

I look forward to further collaboration with Professor Laura Martin, who was vital in production of the second edition of the coloring book. With Nadine Grimm, she now co-directs Yax Te’ Books. They are a publisher and distributor of books relating to Maya culture and an affiliate of the Maya Education Foundation.

In a new direction for Pro Arte Maya, I am exploring how best to support backstrap weaving classes in two Maya Council schools. Juan Zapil gave me background about them. For his words about those programs, please continue reading below.

2. Attending the March WARP conference, women and Fair Trade in Guatemala, and some further travels and impressions

WARP (the acronym for “Weave A Real Peace”) is a US organisation of ethnic textile lovers, scholars and Fair Traders. They sponsored the ten day March conference and tour. (Please find out about this great organization by going to their website: www.weavearealpeace.org

During the conference, we listened to Maya field representatives who work with textile and craft groups and from leaders of several long standing Fair Trade textile organizations. After the end of the meetings, WARP offered attendees the opportunity to visit several women’s weaving and craft groups to see their organising efforts, to find out first hand about how Fair Trade affects the member’s lives, and to learn about how they combine innovation while building on their traditional skills.

As a group, we stayed in Guatemala City, Panajachel, Quetzaltenango, and Antigua. On day trips, we went to outlying places to visit with backstrap and treadle loom weavers, embroiderers, and crocheters, basket makers, as well as markets, dyeing establishments, and jaspé (tie dye) workers.

3. “Baskets, Nets, Grinding Stones, and Pots: The Artists and Artisans of Guatemala” (preliminary title of my planned book of woodcut images and descriptive text)

My print making for this series began a bit more than 10 years ago. At this time, I am working intensively to conclude it and have now nearly finished 30 out of a projected 40 prints. During my trip, I showed the book “dummy” to people from various backgrounds and their interest helps push me toward its completion. While in Guatemala, I also investigated possibilities for printing my book there as well as having an exhibit.

Doing this book allows me to depict my vision of the life-sustaining role ancient Maya traditional crafts had in years past and also to point out their place in today’s environment. I hope my book can encourage appreciation of the “treasure” that traditional artists and artisans bring to Guatemala and the world. In the text, I give a short background about each craft including some of their ecological dimensions.

4. End thoughts: “Biodegradeable, Ecological, Local, and Sustainable”

One view of the traditional crafts in Guatemala has to do with their relationship to some of the environmental issues in today’s world. When I first lived in a Maya town in the 60s, traditional arts and crafts had a part in virtually everyone’s day to day existence. ”Biodegradeable, ecological, local, and sustainable,” describes the materials used to make these arts and crafts as well as their role in the lives of the people who used them.

Read the Full 2007 Update->

Photos taken in March 2007. Copyright 2007 Marilyn Anderson - All Rights reserved. (Click to view larger image)
From left to right:
1. Member of a group doing coiled basketry, outside Santa Apolonia.
2. More women in the same group as the woman in photo 1.
3. Member of a weaving group with her floor loom, village outside Comalapa.
4. The vendor in a mens’ weaving cooperative store, San Antonio Palopó, on Lake Atitlán.
5. Examples of newer techniques used for basketry, Maya Traditions salesroom, Panajachel.