The last few months of the school year at Esperanza Academy were brightened by the colorful world of ancient Guatemala. The pop-up exhibit, Museo Ixchel, showcased Mayan textiles and shared about their part in Guatemalan history. The colorful dress, process of creating the textiles, the unique loom, and the dive into Guatemalan culture and history made for a fascinating display.
Museo Ixchel enlisted the help of several Esperanza Academy students to put together the exhibition. Liamarie De la Rosa, a junior at Esperanza Academy, had the job of dressing the mannequins, hanging textiles, placing labels, and cleaning up after their work. She says that Museo Ixchel’s, “goal with their exhibitions is to educate the public on the historical value of the native dress and weaving in Guatemala, [and that] they’re looking to educate students in a way that will be fun and interesting for them.”
Last month, the museum conducted a live demonstration of the weaving process. Students had a chance to observe the hard work behind the beautiful fabrics and the artistic form. They observed as women demonstrated how the ancient Maya used their loom to create stunning functional pieces of art. Our students then had a chance to practice weaving on their own rudimentary cardboard loom with yarn.
According to Museo Ixchel, the Mayan used many different symbols in their clothing. Darker colors represented the concept of grief or symbolized the underworld. The woman’s blouse, huipil, showed symbols important to the Maya like the tree of life, serpent, or birds. Even the headpiece, intended to be braided together with a woman’s hair, indicated the serpentine snake, a symbol of the earth and the heavens.
This exhibit provided our community with a beautiful and historical representation of an ancient people group. We are grateful that our students were able to take part in this endeavor. Museo Ixchel’s hard work, evident in the intricacy, detail, and knowledge showcased in this exhibition, is a testament to their commitment to cultural conservation and awareness.