Traditional Backstrap Weaving Workshop

Traditional Backstrap Weaving Workshop

Come join us for a hands-on experience at our Traditional Backstrap Weaving Workshop! Learn the ancient art of backstrap weaving from skilled Mayan artisans Ampara and Oralia in a relaxed and friendly environment. This workshop is perfect for beginners and experienced weavers alike. Get ready to immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of this traditional craft.

In this five-hour workshop, you will learn to use a traditional backstrap loom and create your own woven placemat with the help of our visiting weavers. You will be able to take all of your materials home with you (loom, yarn, and newly created placemat), in addition to your newfound skills!

The workshop takes place in the middle of our fair, which will feature other Latinx artists, dancers, musicians, and more, open to the public! You will have the opportunity to break for lunch and enjoy the other parts of the fair whenever you'd like. Central American food will be for sale on the premises if you would like to purchase, in addition to art and books.

Ampara and Oralia join us from Trama Textiles, in Xela, Guatemala. They coordinate a cooperative of female Maya backstrap loom weavers across the country, working with over 100 women from 17 weaving communities. The Trama Textiles Association, founded 36 years ago, emerged during Guatemala's internal armed conflict, a time of immense tragedy and upheaval. At its heart, the organization sought to provide support to women who were widowed or orphaned due to the war, offering them a way to survive and heal through the art of backstrap weaving. Trama Textiles is a 100% worker-owned and run cooperative, guaranteeing fair wages for Indigenous women who speak non-Spanish Maya languages. Ampara and Oralia speak Spanish and will have multiple translators on site for this workshop.

Learn more about their work via this video!

Host or Publisher Nicole Hicks