My Pro Arte Maya update is overdue. The world and its many problems can overwhelm. However, we can tackle some aspects of trying to make it a better place using whatever skills we have. With that, I want to tell readers about what I’ve been doing in 2020-21 and hope to accomplish ahead. Like many others, Covid-19 has pushed me to re-assess my life and my work. Lockdown and the wait for a vaccine was difficult but I, my husband, and my family came through it well.

1. My own work and participation in activities with several arts organizations

Unlike other years, I had no exhibits of my art or photography, and I did not produce many new pieces. However, am reviving past projects, some of which I have been away from for so long that I am newly enthused about them. As things develop, I will show my progress on this website and on Facebook.

I’ve kept up with the doings of colleagues through Zoom talks through my memberships in arts organizations such as the Rochester Print Club, Rochester Contemporary Art Center (ROCO) and WEAVE A REAL PEACE (WARP). The latter members are made up of weavers, textile lovers and supporters of indigenous weavers. It is one of my favorite arts organizations and I highly recommend that any textile lover join it. www.weavearealpeace.org)

In June 2021, WARP held its annual conference using Zoom. There was no charge to participate and many more attended from the US and from other countries than in the past. The presentations worked well with Zoom but I missed being able to interact with fellow attendees. Talks originated from speakers in different parts of the world and subjects ranged from discussions of human rights, techniques, and projects to support indigenous weavers to efforts to make textile production more ecological and local. Panels with titles like “The Deeper Meaning of Cloth” appealed to people such as myself.

2. My Presentation: “Things in Our Lives—The Life of Things”

In June 2021, I gave a Zoom presentation for the Meditation Center in Olean, NY. Using my bilingual book: Guardians of the Arts / Guardians de las artes as the touchpoint. In preparing the talk I discovered new dimensions of my work that I had not considered before. One of my inspirations was a book by Glenn Adamson: FEWER BETTER THINGS The Hidden Wisdom of Objects. He treats issues of engaging with the objects around us, taking into account, among other issues, memory, sustainability, and the meaning of materiality.

After a short introduction, I went on to comment about a number of the prints in my book as well as some of my photographs, paintings and prints to give a still broader picture of where and how people made and utilized indigenous crafts and their meaning to those people.

I talked about the importance of:

How indigenous peoples teach us about the simpler and more ecological ways of living
The spiritual dimensions of things
How we are affected by objects around us
How hand made things help create community

Excerpts from my Olean talk:

What indigenous peoples teach us about the simpler and more ecological ways of living

This is a short story, which I hope helps to explain why I am so devoted to Guatemala, its people, and their crafts traditions. I want to tell you some of what I experienced, along with other village residents, in the 60s and 70s living in a remote Guatemalan Maya town–– without running water or electricity—and only reachable on horseback or by a foot trail. Most food was grown locally or came from nearby towns. We all utilized many of the local crafts, we stored tortillas in large gourds, many slept on palm mats, we shopped in the market and for storing and carrying things, we used locally made net bags made of locally grown maguey fibers along with reed baskets. We might also carry items wrapped in a textile as well as using nets or baskets. Because a typical house generally had few or no cupboards, pottery or drinking gourds often hung from a cut branch of a tree limb. Over an open fire, we cooked beans in earthenware pottery—which gave an incomparable good taste. Also over a fire, on a round clay tray (comal), we baked corn tortillas. In later years, small propane tanks were carried by pack animals which replaced wood fires for some. And we also used some industrially produced enamel cookware, also brought in on pack horses. One of the biggest differences between those early years and now, was that I never saw a plastic shopping bag.

The spiritual dimension of things can be expressed by the very manifestation of craftsmanship in an object or textile. When it is obvious that great art and effort was expended in its production, it can exude an aura that touches the soul. A beautiful ceramic bowl can have that effect or a palm mat that requires the maker to manipulate hundreds of fronds as she weaves it.

How we are affected by objects that surround us. Think of the difference between a hand made chair, even one of very simple design and ubiquitous white plastic chairs from China. We are conscious that the wood chair is made of an ecological material while the plastic chair when it breaks will not decompose perhaps for a thousand years. The beauty of hand woven clothing worn by different groups in Guatemala affects not only the wearer but everyone around her. Much history and life is encompassed in their colors and designs. Even looking at one of these weaving make one think of how much skill and knowledge was required for its production.

Hand made items can remind us of our common humanity and help create community.

When we realize that the backstrap loom, as used today, is said to have originated around six thousand years ago. Weavers know that they are part of this remarkable history and this promotes a sense of pride. Traditional clothing is worn and if a group of people all wear clothing with related patterns, designs and colors it can contribute to their sense of connection with one another.

3. Update on The League of Mayan Bilingual schools (Consejo Maya Jun Apju Ixb’alamke)

This innovative network of seven bilingual schools is located in several regions of Guatemala where different Mayan languages are spoken and has been in existence for about 30 years. (There are 22 different Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala, some of which have many thousands of speakers others with only a few thousand.) My communications from The League of Mayan Bilingual schools (Consejo Maya Jun Apju Ixb&’alamke) are ongoing They have told me about the difficulties of teaching during the Covid-19 emergency. Unlike France other countries where the government considers indigenous languages “national treasures,” in Guatemala, teaching indigenous languages in national schools has not been part of the curriculum and some look down on speaking them. This situation pushed parents in some communities to organize their own bilingual schools. In 2000, I began to collaborate with Juan Zapil, a coordinator for these schools and US scholar, Fernando Peñalosa to produce Maya languages and Spanish Artes y Artesanías Mayas de Guatemala, an educational arts and crafts coloring book. It is now published and distributed by Ediciones Del Pensativo and Mayan schools receive copies. Recently it has become too difficult for me to supervise the printing and raise funds for printing as I have in the past. The transfer of Artes y Artesanías Mayas de Guatemala to an established publisher gives the book a more secure future.

In a recent communication, my contact Juan Zapil told me about the present situation of the schools. Teaching weaving, as was done in the past cannot be done now. Here is my translation of his last email:

“The schools are open, the children do not arrive there but the parents come to receive lessons and meet with the person working for their children. It is a difficult situation for the pupils; it goes on as it has since I wrote you last March.

Many families in the towns are getting ill with Covid-19; only recently has vaccination begun there and it is not known if there will be vaccines for children. In relation to the teachers, most are OK except for a teacher in Palín who died last week of Covid-19. People there are sad and worried.

Thank you for remembering the schools.”

- Juan Zapil

“Las escuelas siguen abiertas, no llegan los alumnos a las escuelas son los padres de familia que llegan a recibir las orientaciones y el trabajador para sus hijos. Es una situación difícil para los alumnos, la situación sigue igual tal como le escribí en el mes de marzo.

Muchas familias en los pueblos se están enfermando del Covid-19; hasta hace poco empezaron a vacunar en los pueblos y no se sabe si habrá vacunas para los niños o no.

Respecto a las y los maestros, la mayoría están bien, menos las de Palín, la semana pasada murió una maestra de Covid-19. Están tristes y preocupados.

Gracias por acordarse de las escuelas.”

- Juan Zapil

4. Guatemala Regenbogenland (Guatemala The Land of the Rainbow)

Lastly, I wrote a prologue and contributed several photos for a book by Patricia Del Mar about Guatemalan weaving and culture. Printed in German, Guatemala Regenbogenland (Guatemala The Land of the Rainbow), makes an important contribution to the German speaking world. To read her book I revived my knowledge of German. It was an honor to be a part of this worthy project.