Maya textiles facts for kids
Maya textiles are special clothes and fabrics made by the Maya peoples. The Maya are native groups living in places like Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize. For a very long time, Maya women have been the ones who create these beautiful textiles. These fabrics were not just clothes. They were also important forms of ancient Maya art and showed what people believed in. Fancy textiles also showed who was important in society. The earliest weaving found in this area dates back to about 1000 to 800 years before the Common Era (B.C.E.).
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What Are Maya Textiles Made From?
Ancient Maya women used two main types of natural cotton. One was white, and the other was light brown, called cuyuscate. Both types were often dyed with bright colors. Getting cotton ready for spinning was a lot of hard work. It had to be washed and cleaned to remove all the seeds. Cotton was usually used by the more important people in Maya society.
Important women also used very expensive materials. These included beautiful feathers and shiny pearl beads. They not only made the best clothes for their families. They also had to be skilled at making special fabrics. These fabrics included tapestry, brocade, embroidery, and tie-dye. These were often given as gifts or payments to other families and rulers.
Weavers used three different kinds of natural dyes. Women also worked with maguey fiber. This plant fiber was also commonly spun into thread. Depending on the type of maguey and how it was prepared, it could be very strong. Maguey was very valuable for making ropes. It was used for horse gear, nets, hammocks, and bags. Other fibers used included human and animal hair (like rabbit and dog fur). Feathers and other plant fibers were also used. These included milkweed and chichicastle, a plant from Southern Mexico.
Until the 1800s, most threads were dyed naturally. But today, weavers in Guatemala often use easier-to-get dyes. They rely on "commercial and handspun yarns dyed with mollusk dye." Using these dyes saves a lot of time. It can cut the time needed to make cloth by two-thirds or even three-quarters. This means weavers can spend more time on the actual weaving. They don't have to spend as much time making dyes. Chemically dyed threads also have brighter colors. They do not fade as easily from wear, washing, or sunlight.
How Maya Textiles Are Made
Making woven textiles starts with preparing the fiber. This fiber can come from plants like cotton or maguey. Before Europeans arrived, only plant fibers were used in Mesoamerica. The loose fibers are spun into threads by hand. This is done using spindles. A spindle is a stick-like tool that holds the thread. A weight called a whorl is put on the spindle to help it spin.
Two main types of looms were used for weaving. These were the foot loom and the backstrap loom. Women almost always used the backstrap loom. They would tie one end of the loom to a tree or post. The other end was tied behind their lower back. This meant the width of the fabric was limited by what the weaver could manage. Until recently, men mostly used foot looms. But this is now changing. Most threads are made of cotton. However, silk is often mixed with cotton for special clothes used in ceremonies. After Europeans arrived, clothing made from animal skins also started to be used by important people.
In ancient times, Maya women only used backstrap looms. These looms use sticks and straps worn around a person's waist to create tension. The weaver controls how tight the threads are by moving her body. She also uses sticks and tools to weave the threads together. When the cloth is finished, the loom is just a pile of sticks. Even though it looks simple, it's a very clever tool. It lets the weaver be very creative. Some people say it's even better than the modern treadle loom. Treadle looms were brought to the region by the Spanish.
After Europeans arrived, treadle looms were introduced. But backstrap looms are still very popular. Using a backstrap loom correctly needed special body control. Weavers had to be still, balanced, and kneel for a long time. This way of sitting became a proper way for women to behave. Before Europeans arrived, bone picks were used for weaving. These picks were special because they had different designs for most families. They were usually passed down through generations. Important families had the most expensive and beautiful ones.
Traditional Maya Clothing
In the Maya civilization, men usually wore a cotton breechcloth. This was a piece of cloth wrapped around their waist. Sometimes they also wore a sleeveless shirt, either white or dyed. In the 1900s, traditional men's clothing included specific items in some towns. These were a saco (wool jacket) or capixaij (tunic), pantalones (trousers), camisa (shirt), a belt or banda (sash), and a rodillera (wool hip cloth).
A woman typically wore a traje. This was a combination of a huipil and a corte. A corte is a woven wrap-around skirt that reached her ankles. The traje was held together with a faja, or sash, worn at the waist. Both women and men wore sandals.
When the weather was warm, Maya clothing was less about protection. It was more about looking good. Maya priests and other important people wore very fancy clothes with jewellery.
Maya farmers wore very simple clothes. Men wore plain loincloths. These were just bands of cloth wrapped around their waists. Some wore moccasins made from deerhide. Women had two main pieces of clothing. One was a decorated piece of material with holes for the arms and head, called a kub. Both men and women wore a heavier rectangle of cloth, called a manta. This served as an overwrap on cool days. It was also used as a blanket at night. The manta could also be used as a curtain over a doorway.
The Huipil
The huipil is a very important part of women's clothing. It was popular in ancient times and is still common in Guatemalan and Mexican culture today. A huipil is a loose, rectangular garment. It has a hole in the middle for the head. It is made from lightweight, sheer cotton. The huipil is usually white. It has colorful stripes and zigzag patterns woven into the cloth. This is done using a technique called brocade, which is still used today.
The huipil can be worn loose or tucked into a skirt. This depends on how long the huipil is. Huipils often show a person's religion or which community they belong to. Different communities usually have different designs, colors, and lengths. They also have special huipils for ceremonies. It was usually seen as disrespectful to wear a huipil design from another community in your own village. However, it was a sign of respect to wear a community's huipil when visiting their village.
Weavers in Maya communities often make textiles with similar features. These features are unique to that community. But weavers can still be creative. The community design acts as a guide. Within that guide, weavers can add their own personal touches. This makes each finished product unique. A common design theme is to show respect to different animals around the collar of the huipil.
Hair Sash
The hair sash is often the only part of the traditional outfit that women still weave themselves. They use a backstrap loom for this. Each ethnic group has its own way of wearing the hair sash. It can be woven into or wrapped around their long hair. The colors, patterns, widths, and how the designs are made are also different for each group. Fancy hair sashes made with finer thread and more complex pictures are worn for special events.
Meaning of Maya Clothing
Classic Maya clothing showed its full beauty during religious events. The gods themselves, and people pretending to be them, could be recognized by their clothes. For example, the Tonsured Maize God wore a netted over-skirt. This skirt was made of green jade beads. He also had a belt with a large shell covering his lower body. The king and queen often dressed up as this god.
Protecting Maya Textile Designs
In 2011, Efrain Asij, who led Guatemala's Commission for Culture, suggested new laws. These laws would help protect textiles made by native communities. He said these textiles were important for the women's economy. They also showed the cultural history in these designs. Asij said that traditional Maya woven designs were in danger. They could lose their cultural meaning and value. This was because of people copying and making fake Maya clothes.
He asked for schools to be created. These schools would train the next generation of Guatemalan weavers. This would help make sure this ancient art continues to be valued. He also suggested a study to track sales of Maya clothes. This would help find problems where designs were being copied or sold unfairly. Asij also proposed that Maya communities could import their weaving equipment without paying taxes. They could also buy advertising and export their textiles from Guatemala tax-free. All parts of Guatemala's government are expected to help protect traditional Maya textile making.
In 2016, new laws were presented to Guatemala's government. These were proposed by the National Movement of Maya Weavers. This group is made up of weavers from all over Guatemala. Thirty weaving groups from 18 language communities in Guatemala support this movement. It is led by the Women's Association for Development of Sacatepequez (AFEDES). They argue that companies have been using their culture unfairly. These companies mass-produce their designs. This makes the sacred designs less valuable and respected. The weavers are asking for stronger laws. These laws would give each Maya community shared ownership of their traditional designs.
Modern Maya Textiles
Today, many things have changed in Maya textiles. This includes designs, techniques, and materials. The Kaqchikel and Kʼicheʼ are two groups that still have strong weaving traditions. Studies show that weavers often make design choices as they go. Sometimes, the only decision made before starting is the color of the background fabric. In the past, patterns showed specific groups or social status. But today, the patterns are less strict. Weavers have more creative freedom. For some groups, local tradition still guides the overall look of the clothes. While it's not strictly forbidden to change things, it might lead to people making fun or gossiping.
Besides more freehand designs, new materials are being used in textiles. For example, textiles now include "imported rickrack, ribbons, metallic threads, colorful embroidery floss, and velvet edgings on hand-loomed garments." All these new additions show the creativity of the native artists.
Maya women, who are the weavers, mostly stick to tradition. They continue to wear the trajes. Maya men have stopped wearing traditional Maya clothing as much. This is mainly because they want to avoid harassment from Ladino people. However, women "continue to wear native styles of clothing to symbolize their work of raising the next generation and keeping Maya culture alive."
Weavers today who continue this tradition still use a backstrap loom. This is a very old and traditional technique. It is a wearable device. One side is attached to the weaver, and the other side is attached to a solid object or structure.
Images for kids
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A hair sash being made on a Jakaltek Maya backstrap loom.
See also
In Spanish: Textiles mayas para niños
