Enduring Maya

THE$ENDURING$MAYA$$$$Clare$Brett$Smith

Travel$ memoirs$ usually$ stick$ closely$ to$ PLACE,$ but$ to$ gather$ tra ce s$ of$ th e$ M a ya$ me a n t$ skipping$ around$ from$ country$ to$ country$ pulliing$ together$ images$ from$ decades$ of$ travel$ in$ Central$ America$ when$ the$ Maya$ had$ not$$ been$$our$main$$focus.$It$has$been$ interesting$ to$ reKfocus$ those$ trips$ and$ to$ discover$ another$ way$ of$ remembering$$them.$$$$$$$$$$$$CBS$

THE$ENDURING$MAYA$ in$Mexico,$Guatemala$&$Honduras by$Clare$Brett$Smith The$Mayan$world$once$covered$a$wide$area$of$Central$America,$including$southern$Mexico,$northern$Honduras$$ and$ Guatemala’s$ highlands.$ The$ power$ and$ inNluence$ of$ the$ Maya$ cityKstates$ was$ immense.$ Even$ now,$ with$ explorations$ of$ the$ jungleKcovered$ temple$ compounds,$ their$ accomplishments$ are$ aweKinspiring.$ Scholars$ are$ deciphering$ their$ languages,$ carved$ in$ glyphs$ and$ painted$ on$ interior$ walls,$ and$ their$ concept$ of$ celestial$ movements$still$amazes$with$its$sophistication.$$$The$cities$have$disappeared,$but$not$the$Maya.$$You$can$see$their$ faces$ every$ day.$ Recognizing$ their$ symbols$ in$ current$ textiles$ or$ ceramics$ is$ of$ interest$ to$ historians,$ ethnographers,$linguists,$artists$and$is$a$big$draw$for$tourists.$My$own$experience$is$slight,$but$even$an$occasional$ traveler$and$handcraft$specialist$like$me$can$detect$the$traces$of$a$great$$and$highly$developed$civilization.$$These$ pictures$ were$ taken$ over$ several$ decades,$ some$ on$ buying$ trips$ as$ a$ importer$ and$ some$ during$ development$ programs$with$Aid$to$Artisans.$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $Clare$Brett$Smith,$May$2013 $$$$$$$$$$$

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nLacand贸n$Maya$man,$San$Crist贸bal$de$las$Casas,$Chiapas,$Mexico$1973

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Lacandon Maya

Lacand贸n$boy$visiting$at$Na$Bolom,$San$Crist贸bal$1973 3

San$AndrĂŠs,$Chiapas$1997 4

Lacand贸n$Maya$Child$1997 5

Weaver$demonstrating$at$Na$Bolom,$San$Crist贸bal$$1973 6

to$market,$Quetzaltenango,$Guatemala$1994$ 7

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to$market,$San$Crist贸bal$1973

San$Crist贸bal$1973

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Parachicos$dancers$in$Chiapa$de$Corzo,$Mexico$1973 10

San$Crist贸bal$1973 11

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Mayan$Highlands,$near$Chamula,$Chiapas$$1973

Mayan$lowlands,$Cobรก,$Yucatรกn$1973

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Chichen$Itza,$Yucatan

Family$home,$Yucatรกn

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Diver,$Isla$Mujeres$1973 16

Xpichil$1992 17

I$ like$ the$ strength$ of$ black$ &$ white$ photographs,$ and,$in$the$hard$clear$light$of$the$Mayan$highlands,$it$ seems$ exactly$ right,$ but$ that’s$ not$ how$ it$ really$ looks.$ $ Color$ is$ vigorous$ there.$ The$ textiles$ of$ the$ region$ blaze$ with$ color,$ more$ than$ the$ Nlowers$ and$ birds,$ even$ more$ than$ the$ toucans$ with$ their$ enormous$torpedoKlike$yellow$bills.$And$so,$the$rest$ of$ this$ book$ is$ in$ color,$ Kodachrome$ for$ its$ saturation.$ It$ would$ be$ hard$ to$ go$ back$ to$ black$ &$ white,$ and$ now$ that$ Kodachrome$ has$ been$ discontinued,$ even$ color$ Nilm$ is$ scarce.$ (I$ had$ not$ yet$switched$from$Nilm$to$digital$cameras).

Brilliant$ color$ is$ the$ essence$ of$ Highland$ Maya$ clothing,$whether$Mexican$or$Guatemalan,$but$in$the$ lowland$ regions$ along$ the$ Usamacinta$ River$ and$ in$ the$ rainforest,$ clothes$ are$ the$ opposite,$ pure$ white$ set$off$by$greenery.

I$was$looking$for$Maya$faces$and$other$reminders$of$ that$ civiization,$ but$ the$ Catholic$ church$ is$ a$ strong$ presence$ too,$ not$ just$ in$ spirit,$ but$ visually.$ Although$ Mayan$ beliefs$ survive,$ they$ are$ often$ mingled$with$Christian$symbolism.

Chichicastenango$1994 18

Plumage$of$the$Scarlet$Macaw,$Honduras$1985

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Xpichil,$Quintana$Roo,$Embroidery$project$$1992

Chamula$church,$Chiapas$1997 21

Uphill$from$Chamula$1997

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Not$entirely$reverential,$a$chair$in$an$antique$store,$Antigua,$Guatemala$2009$

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Highland$cultivation$in$Honduras$1985

Intense$cultivation$Guatemala$1994$

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Lake$Atitlรกn$in$a$storm,$Guatemala$$2009$ 26

Lake$Atitlรกn$is$a$holy$place 27

Men$of$San$AndrĂŠs,$Chiapas$1997

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Backstrap$Weaving,$Chiapas$1993 29

Chamula$Market$1997

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Chamula,$1997$ 31

ExKConvent$Santo$Domingo$yard,$San$Crist贸bal$1993$ 32

Weavers$on$this$and$the$next$page$are$members$of$Sna$Jolobiil,$a$cooperative$of$weavers$from$numerous$ Mayan$villages.$Their$weaving$designs$are$speciNic$to$their$village$or$language$group,$but$the$cooperative$ provides$access$to$the$large$tourist$market$in$San$Crist贸bal.$

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Sna$Jolobil$weavers$meet$a$tour$group$1997

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Chichicastenango$2009 35

Guatemala$1969 36

Guatemala’s$rainbow$clothing$in$Chichicastenango$$2009

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$$$$$$$$Market$woman$in$Chichicastenango$2009$$and,$right,$young$weaver$in$Chamula$1993 38

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Young$weavers$in$Chamula$1993$ 39

Huipil$Stall$in$Quetzaltenango$market$1994$ 40

Quetzaltenango$1994

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Aid$to$Artisans$had$several$projects$in$Central$America.$In$Quetzaltenango$we$worked$with$weavers$and$ seamstresses$ to$ develop$ fashion$ items,$ purses,$ bags,$ children’s$ dresses$ for$ export$ using$ traditional$ materials$and$techniques.

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Prototype$child’s$dress,Quetzaltenango$workshop,$1994 43

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Chichicastenango$2009

Quetzaltenango$1994

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Tegucigalpa,Honduras$1985

Quetzaltenango$1994

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Travel$in$Quetzaltenango$1994 50

Potter$in$Amatenango,$Mexico$1992 51

Antigua,$Guatemala$1969

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Guatemala$$2009

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Losing$Altitude

Leaving$the$high$country$(San$Cristobal$is$ at$7,000$ feet),$on$our$way$to$visit$the$Maya$of$the$Lacand贸n$ Rainforest,$we$stopped$at$the$$Tuxtla$Gutierrez$zoo.$ Above,$a$dozing$young$peccary.$I$had$never$seen$a$ Peccary$before,$$and,$on$the$opposite$page,$a$toucan.$ We$ saw$ dozens$ of$ toucans$ in$ the$ Yucat谩n.$ They$ Nlew$like$yellow$bullets$straight$across$the$road$in$ front$of$our$car.$On$the$following$pages,$sloths$and$ deer$and$a$camouNlaged$jaguar.$

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a$$Jaguar$&$Na$Bolom

Jaguars$ are$ revered$ in$ Mayan$ myth$ for$ their$ strength$ and$ because$ they$ are$ creatures$ of$ the$ night.$We$saw$ their$images$ in$ carving,$ ceramics$ and$tapestries,$but$we$never$saw$them$combined$ with$ Catholic$ images.$ The$ spots$ on$ the$ gate,$ above,$ were$ not$ meant$ as$ talismans,$ they$ were$ purely$decorative.$This$is$ the$gate$to$The$Jaguar$ Garden$across$the$street$from$Na$Bolom,$a$place$ for$ tourists$ to$ learn$ about$ the$ ecology$ and$ agriculture$of$highland$Chiapas,$and$a$gift$shop.$ Funded$by$American$Express$and$planned$by$Aid$ to$Artisans$with$Chip$Morris,$ it$serves$overNlow$ visitors$ from$ Na$ Bolom.$ Na$ Bolom,$ a$ research$ center$designed$ for$ scholars,$ anthropolgists$ and$ serious$ visitors,$ was$ founded$ in$ the$ 1950s$ by$ Trudy$ and$ Frans$ Bl om,$ Europeans$ who$ c ham pi oned$ the$ M ay a$ and$ bel i ev ed$ i n$ preservation$and$the$importance$of$ both$ culture$ and$habitat.$They$had$a$particular$interest$in$the$ Maya$of$the$Lacand贸n$Rainforest$as$glimpsed$in$ the$next$section$(pages$60$K$77).

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nAid$to$Artisans

I

Besides$ the$ projects$ with$ the$ Highland$ Maya,$ ATA$ worked$ in$ the$ Lacandon$ Rainforest$ on$ a$ MacArthur$ FoundationKfunded$program$called$Artisans$&$Ecology.$It$ was$ intended$ to$ develop$ incomeKproducing$ crafts$ for$ artisans$ in$ environmentally$ threatened$ areas$ to$ help$ them$ make$ a$ living$ there.$ The$ artisans$ and$ ecology$ theme$ was$ part$ of$ most$ ATA$ projects$ but$ never$ as$ central$ as$ in$ Mexico$ where$ our$ partner$ AMACUP,$ a$ Mexican$ craft$ preservation$ organization,$ was$ dedicated$ and$knowledgable.$ Opposite$ page,$ a$ glimpse$ of$ the$ great$ Sian$ Ka’an$ bioK reserve,$ more$ than$ a$ million$ acres$ in$ Quintana$ Roo,$ a$ Mayan$heartland$and$habitat

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The$Usamacinta$River$forms$part$of$the$border$between$Mexico$and$Guatemala

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Corn$Nields$on$the$Guatemala$side

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Restoration$work$on$Yaxchilan$in$1997,$remote$ruins$on$the$Usamacinta$River$that$could$only$be$reached$by$boat$or$ by$Nloat$plane.$There$was$no$lodging$here,$only$a$campsite$$The$ruins$were$impressive$but$even$more$so$the$packs$of$ Howler$Monkeys$that$roar$through$the$trees$and$sound$like$an$approaching$tsunami.$ 68

Passageway,$Yaxchilan$1997 69

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Palenque$1997

With$friends,$Be$and$Art$Phinney,$we$did$manage$to$get$to$the$top,$but$the$steps$are$very$narrow$and$ there$are$no$hand$rails.$

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In$northern$Honduras,$the$Mayan$ruins$of$Copรกn$1984 72

$Stele$at$Copรกn

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Souvenir$jaguar,$Quintana$Roo$1992

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Xcaret$resort,$Quintana$Roo$1992

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Lacand贸n$ Mayan$ handcrafts$ were$ not$ commercial.$$ The$featherKtipped$arrows$were$weapons.$The$pottery$ drums,$ pots$ and$ the$ godKlike$ Nigures$ wearing$ rough$ white$tunics$had$ceremonial$uses.$Nowadays$they$are$ sold$at$tourist$$sites$like$Palenque.

As$much$as$one$$wonders,$impertinently,$what$a$Scot$ wears$under$his$kilt,$I$worried$when$the$young$Maya$ at$right,$ready$to$bathe,$suddenly$pulled$off$his$white$ tunic,$but$a$very$modern$blue$$speedo$appeared.$

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Top,$Because$of$the$border$with$Guatemala,$refugee$trafNic$and$illegal$crossings,$there$were$checkpoints$on$the$ few$roads$parallel$to$the$Usamacinta.$We$traveled$to$Yaxchilan$by$boat$$$Some$tourists$arrive$$by$plane.$We$ stayed$$at$this$ecoKcamp,$near$Palenque,$slept$in$hammocks,$ate$squirrel$(and$maybe$rat)$stew.$$Roadside$stops$ are$few$and$very$simple$and$not$all$have$mosquito$nets,.

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Appendix

The$next$pictures$show$a$few$of$the$many$ people$ involved$ with$ Aid$ to$ Artisans$ in$ the$Maya$regions$and$who$worked$on$the$ Artisans$ &$ Ecology$ project$ in$ the$ 1990s,$ as$well$as$other$related$handcraft$projects.$$ Earlier$ photographs,mostly$ black$ &$ white,$ date$ back$ to$ the$ 1970s$ and$ were$ from$ family$and$Primitive$Artisan$trips.

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Chip$ Morris,$ center,$ author$ of$ The$ Living$ Maya,$ a$ weaver$ himself,$ and$ one$ of$ the$ founders$ of$ Sna$ Jolobil$ Cooperative,$ explains$ how$ a$ huipil$ is$ worn.$ $ He$ lives$ in$ Chiapas$ and$ was$ ATA’s$ Mexico$ representative$ for$ several$ years.$ $ At$ left,$ Alden$ Smith,$ATA$Marketing$staff,$$and,$right,$Ty$Minto,$board$member.$ 79

T $Meeting$with$Maria,$an$acciomplished$Chamula$weaver,$in$San$Crist贸bal$1993

for$ATA$,$Patty$Jurewicz,$Clare,$Chip$Morris$with$his$son$

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Above,$ Faustina,$ leader$ in$ the$ small$ village$ of$ Xpichil,$ several$ miles$ from$ the$ resorts$ on$ the$ coast.$ Below,$ the$ road$ from$ Xpichil.$ Women$ of$ the$ village$ are$ known$ for$ embroidery,$ particularly$ for$ the$ traditional$full$white$cotton$dresses$with$Nlowery$yokes.$To$increase$their$sales$and$to$encourage$them$ to$ expand$ the$ variety$ of$ patterns,$ ATA$ suggested$ drawing$ from$ nature,$ a$ feature$ of$ any$ Artisans$ &$ Ecology$ project,$hence$the$toucans,$real$and$embroidered$on$pages$20$and$55.$ $ $ Right,$Barbara$Smith,$ embroidery$artist,$and$ATA$design$consultant$at$work.$ 81

Left,$Marta$Turok,$President$of$AMACUP,$ATA’s$partner$in$Mexico’s$Artsans$&$Ecology$project.$ Right,$the$Governor’s$wife$supported$the$project$and$attended$an$ATA/DIF$workshop$in$Chiapas$1993 $

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,Aid$to$Artisans$held$a$board$meeting$at$Na$Bolom$in$Chiapas$in$1998$$

Top,$Mary$Garland$and$Ty$Minton,$Jonathan$Williams$buying$a$weaving,$ Bottom,$Ty$and$Gael$Minton,$Tom$Aageson,$ATA$Executive$Director 83

The$popularity$of$Mayan$costume:$The$staff$at$the$Mayan$Inn$ in$ Chichastengo$is$ accustomed$to$posing$with$guests,$ $ I$was$ there$with$Tucker$Robbins$and$his$family$in$2009.

Max$ Andersen,$ my$ greatKgrandson,$ in$ 2013$ wearing$ borrowed$ Chiapas$ Ninery$ for$ his$ 3rd$ grade$ presentation$ about$Mexico.$$

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Most$of$the$Lacand贸n$Rain$ Forest$is$lowKcanopy$forest$ and$it$was$not$often$Burge$ and$I$$saw$leaves$this$big.$$$ Worth$a$picture.$$

漏 2013$$Clare$Brett$Smith$