The Women Before Us: Weaving Stories in My Huipil

What lies behind the brilliant colors and intricate patterns of a traditional Mayan tunic? A Guatemalan girl reveals the ways a handwoven garment connects her to generations of women before her.

Together, the threads in my huipil
hold a message,
tell a story
of who we are.

Of who I am.

A young girl proudly wears a colorful tunic, or huipil, that features the sun’s reflection. It symbolizes the lake she lives on, a design she sometimes embellishes with shimmering sequins and beads. Her abue...