The Mayas are indigenous people of ancient Mesoamerica, which now comprises of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Maya people make up 40% population of Guatemala.
The traditional clothing of Maya people exhibits colourful patterned designs on women’s blouses and skirts. The blouse, called huipil in Maya language, is generally hand woven with heavily decorated design and embroidery. The symbols used in the design are often meaningful and sacred. The Mayan skirt or cortes is a rectangular piece of cloth with its end sewn together to form a “tube” wrap-around skirt. A woman steps into the skirt and ties it around her waist using a belt faja.
Today, while I was walking in the city of Antigua, a Maya woman selling handmade souvenirs approached me.
“Would you like to buy this?” she showed me a necklace.
“No, thank you. I cannot wear this!” I replied.
“Maybe this one?” she showed me another one.
“No, I am cycling. I don’t wear anything.”
“Take the small one. It’s cheap!”
“But, it’s too small.”
“That’s for your kids.”
“But, I don’t have kids!”
“Ok, this one, for your wife!”
“No wife!”
“Girlfriend?”
“Also, none!”
“For your mother then?”
“She is no more!”
“For your father?”
“He too is not alive. Sorry!”
“You don’t have anyone in your family?”
“Of course, I do. Or, wait. Maybe, I don’t.”