Today’s trip to Santiago Atitlán (known originally in the Tz’utujil Mayan language as Tz’ikin Jaay, meaning “house of birds”) was an exploration of local syncretic culture, specifically focusing on Maya textile traditions. First, our guide Dolores Ratzan led us to Iglesia de Santiago Apóstel, a Catholic church with iconography of an indigenous deity named Maximón behind the decorated altar. Before we went inside, we met Dolores’ friend Magdalena who showed us how she wrapped her textile headdress, shown here. Also of note is her huipil (a name for the Maya blouse that she wears) which depicts the birds that the town’s name references.
Once we went into the church, we witnessed many dressed saints who were decorated with scarves and offerings like candles. There were hundreds of chrysanthemums and colorful flowers placed carefully among the altars. The dark, carved wooden altar against the wall resembles a Mesoamerican mountain shape and has figures ascending to the peak holding the masks of Maximón. This is extremely unique and somewhat controversial within Catholic traditions, but exists today because of Santiago Atitlán’s more remote location, which was harder for Spanish priests to monitor.
We then traveled to a Cofradía where we saw an actual Maximón effigy complete with papel picado, candles, and people attending him with offerings.
Then, Dolores took us to a local weaving co-op, where we were shown how women use backstrap looms to create cloth in a symbolic process evoking birth. There were countless dyed threads in bundles that were used to make these high-intensity textiles. Some of them take at least 3-8 months to make, including the weaving itself, stitching, and additional embroidery.
