Gourd Carver © Marilyn Anderson. Woodcut, 8″ x 10″
Incising with a knife, the artisan from Rabinal makes charming designs on a blackened gourd to make a “piggy” bank. But the primary use of gourds is practical and for thousands of years the Maya have utilized them. They grow on both trees and vines in a number of areas of Guatemala and can be found in many markets. Today, gourds continue to have a place in the lives of the Maya and retain cultural significance though plastic containers have displaced them for many uses.