For ten days at the beginning of March, ClothRoads and Thrums Books hosted a textile tour through Guatemala to meet the artisans of Traditional Weavers of Guatemala–Their Stories, Their Lives. The tour was led by authors Deborah Chandler and Teresa Cordón. Teresa has graciously shared with us some of her thoughts about the trip.
The Adventure
On March 3rd, 2016, I started what I call the “adventure” of traveling with a group of seven women and two men from the U.S.A. Some weavers, some not, but every one interested in textiles, their beauty, and complexity. Especially, they came to have the opportunity of meeting some of the artisans featured in Traditional Weavers of Guatemala–Their Stories, Their Lives. Each artisan visit had its own flavor due to the technique shown, the place we went, the road we took to get there, and the homes where we met. But the constant factors were the pride of the artisans, sharing their knowledge, the humble attitude of the visitors as students, and the mutual respect for everyone.
Path of Communication
From this trip we all gained. For the visitors, more than anything else, the appreciation of the opportunity to meet the artisans in their own places. For the artisans, to be visited. And for me, the privilege of meeting wonderful people, once again spending time with the artisans, and, inch by inch, contributing to the building of a path of communication.
—Teresa Cordón
Special thanks to Marilyn Murphy and Linda Stark of ClothRoads for organizing the tour and to Robert Medlock for sharing his stellar photos.
Missed the trip? You don’t have to miss out. Traditional Weavers of Guatemala is available through ClothRoads, Amazon, and at your favorite book shop.
