textiles that tell
a story
capturing
NATURE’S colors
Altiplano’s natural dye project partners with a small group of Mayan women living in the Guatemalan highlands on the shores of lake Atitlan.
Drawing inspiration
from the magnificent surrounding scenery and the wisdom of their ancestors, they have created an exceptional textile collection dyed with natural plant dyes and woven on traditional backstrap looms. Using these ancient techniques serves to both protect and preserve tradition and the environment.
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1 Juana holds an example of local “ixcaco� cotton, which is grown for its
2 After harvesting, Juana hand spins the locally grown cotton threads that 3 Here Juana demonstrates the process of preparing the plants for dying. T explained some of the challenges of creating a consistent dye lot, while wo The plants themselves vary in tone, and particularly fascinating is the variati Her group has found that cotton dyed during the full moon results in a dar We are impressed with the consistency that the group manages to obtain, 4 Banana tree stalks are used as a natural fixative
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s earthy brown natural color
t are used in our Indigo Story Scarf, Indigo and Brown Ikat Pillowcases The process is labor intensive and fascinating. She orking with natural materials. ion that occurs in relationship to the phase of the moon during dying. rker dye, while during a new moon, produces a lighter result. and think that the slight variations are what give them distinction.
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A warping board sits ready to prepare threads for weaving, framing a wonderful view of the lake. In the distance you can see the roof of a building, peeking out from below the lake.
The lake height has fluctuated throughout time, with a lowering trend, but in the past several years, it has begun rising at a rapid rate. There are many theories on the cause, but the reality is of significant loss of land and property for many Mayans, including Juana and her family. You can see Juana’s flooded house on page one. The lake entered the house last year during the rainy season.
In their small lakeside showroom
Juana demonstrates the preparation of the cotton for hand spinning, while her sister Adelaida weaves on a backstrap loom.
Graphic imagery symbolically represents the natural world in and around Lake Atitilan. Traditional culture is very connected to the natural world which surrounds and sustains them. The imagery and technique woven into these scarves has been passed down through the generations. Our AS59 Indigo Story Scarf in particular weaves the history of the artisans and their ancestry. Juana pointed out the symbols that reference seeds, a nod to the earth’s sacred gifts of sustenance and trade, of corn and beans, coffee and cotton.
If you look closely you
can see the Mayan people, the fish, the trees and volcanoes. The diamonds filled with slashes represent the Xocomil, the mysterious afternoon winds. Unlike the “norte” the winds that come from the northern sky during the spring season, or the storm winds that have specific direction, the Xocomil has no specific direction, and causes the typical choppy afternoon lake surface.