Xela

Trip Start Dec 01, 1977
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7
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Trip End Mar 11, 1978


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Flag of Guatemala  ,
Wednesday, December 14, 1977

Quezaltenango is the crossroads of western Guatemala, and brother city to nearby Totonicapan, one of Guatemala's premier craft centers. It is also the coldest part of Guatemala, resting at some 7000 feet above sea level, in addition to second largest city in the country.  This is the center of Guatemala’s famous jaspe (ikat) weavings, centered on the village of Salcaja’ out on the outskirts.  This high quality double-ikat cloth is woven mostly by men on treadle looms and distributed all over the country for use as wrap skirts by indigenous women.  This occasionally gets referred to as 'ghost weaving’ because of the little people figures tie-dyed in.  A distant second in favored skirt material is the solid indigo-dyed material with rainbow-embroidered seams favored by the women of Nahuala’, who wear a huipil (blouse) that is solid white with animal figures woven in.  A variation on this them exists far away in the costa mixteca area of Mexico, suggest that it may be of ancient origin.
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