Back Strap Weaving Demonstration at AMA

There are around 60 NGOs that work in and around the Xela area. One such NGO is AMA, The Highland Women's Association or the Asociación de Mujeres del Altiplano. Here is a description of the organization taken from their website:

"The Highland Women Association (AMA) is an organization of Maya women working in rural communities within the Western Highlands of Guatemala. It was founded in 1994 and we are now a 200 member strong Association with a reach of thousands of people. Their goal is to break cycles of dependency by increasing the agency of women to make them the agents of transformation in their communities. We recognize cultural and economic dependency as a major indicator in perpetuating cycles of poverty. We seek to empower women and their communities to take advantage of opportunities and solve problems." http://amaguate.org/

I have a couple of friends who volunteered for AMA and really enjoyed the work that they did and the people they worked for and with. Ama also hosts groups doing travel-service trips that offer a good mix of getting to see the Guatemalan highlights and volunteering in the rural communities.

The traditional textiles make here in Guatemala are done on back strap looms. This practice is still widely in use to this day, especially in the rural areas. When my parents came to visit me here in Guatemala I set up a brief back strap weaving class through AMA where we learned about the process and then got to try our hand at weaving. The woman who taught the mini class made it look quick and simple, but it is far from it! I have a newfound appreciation for the beautifully intricate and colorful textiles that are made here in Guatemala.