The National Weavers Movement with Mayan Hands

Spinning Rights in Guatemala and The Struggle of Mayan Weavers, The National Movement of Weavers It was born in 2014 with more than 600 weavers and the support of AFEDES. With its creation, it began the legal battle to claim the recognition and protection of the copyright of designs, textiles, and clothing, counting along the way with the technical assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights -OHCHR-, support that continues today.   

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Transcript

Dondrill Glover: 0:02

Welcome to The New York now podcast, a modern wholesale market for retailers and specialty buyers seeking diversity and discovery, gathering twice a year in America's design capital, New York City. It's where buyers and designers on Earth have refreshed and dedicated collection of eclectic lifestyle products. Hi, I'm Daniel Glover, podcast host and senior producer from New York now, and welcome to another episode of journeys and narratives in global handmade as we continue to celebrate Women's History Month. Today's conversation takes us inside of the Republic of Guatemala and the National weavers movement. And here at home, we discover Mayan hands. It is our pleasure to welcome Brenda Rosenbach, anthropologist, writer and co founder of Mayan hands. Brenda has worked with Mayan women in Chiapas, Mexico and Guatemala for more than 40 years. She has conducted research in Mayan communities on Mayan culture, gender and myth and rituals, Mayan weaving traditions and the role of women in history. In 1993, she published a book with our heads bowed the dynamics of gender in my own community, and has published several articles on the topic every sense. And 1990. Brenda and her husband Fred, he founded my enhance a fair trade organization with the mission of finding markets for Mayan Weaver's, she's been working with my enhance every sense and loving every minute of it. Join me in welcoming Brenda to our New York now podcast. Hi, Brenda, how are you?

Brenda Rosenbaum: 1:33

I'm doing great. Thank you Danbury for having me. It's a snowy day here in New York. And I'm so happy to be talking with you, and to all the people. And thanks to new york now for providing this opportunity. Oh, you're most welcome. I'm excited to be talking to you. I know that you have a lot of projects happening, and you'll be traveling soon. And the fact that you found space and time to talk with us, especially during women's history month. So I'm really excited to dive into today's conversation. It's been a while coming. So I'd love to kick things off with your career journey and what brought you into the world of global handmade. Okay, so I grew up in Guatemala, a country where half of the population is indigenous. And I can remember, you know how excited I watched us as a little girl when I went with my mother to the market to see these women wearing incredibly colorful clothes. And it was just for a little girl that was very exciting and unique. So I saw them in the market and on the streets in Guatemala City. And the women to this day continue to work their distinctive clothing, while men adopted western clothes, women are still wearing them and showing them you know, showing their identity out there. So I was aware that they were poor and discriminated upon sometimes you saw people pushing them down onto the streets, when they were walking on the sidewalks, they call them names they treated as second class citizens. I was struck by their courage that even in the face of such oppression, they were not trying to hide their identity, they were proud to be that different than be who they were. And so the love of their color and the you know, the courage it was throw me into anthropology. I wanted to understand what was going on in my country and learn more about these courageous people. So that's what happened. Wow. I mean, what I have to say my heart just sort of tugs you being just a young girl and having to sort of you look at that kind of imagery. And you know, wondering your mind, how could Why is this happening? And to be inspired to grow up? To study to understand it, I have to ask, How has your career as an anthropologist influenced your work, the way that you work with artists and communities and having that understanding? Well, you know, that was really important because anthropologist, I study anthropology and you are supposed to do fieldwork, which means going to the communities living with the people, you know, staying in their homes with them, just learning what they do, how they live every day. And I spent a long time doing research with women. And finally, my thesis dissertation in Chiapas was with women in the highlands of Chiapas in the Mola Maya and then I learned very closely their struggles just to survive the unreal they're very poor often go to bed hungry, and since I was living there, I often when myself to bed hungry, which is the first time of my life that this happened, that men have to leave to find paid work outside of their community for months that women work so hard planting their corn taking care of their sheep, their children, they have to drag their water from miles away. I mean, it's a very, very hard life. And then, you know, every year they get these epidemics of like whooping cough or measles, hundreds of kids die. You know, one of the things that impressed me more most was when I asked them when I was interviewed you and them formally, so how many kids do you have? They will say, Oh, do you want the leaving, and also the death or just the leaving? And I said, No, everyone. And so it shows that more than half of their children had died from childhood diseases, easy to cure, you know. And at the same time that you see this very difficult life, you see how their art of weaving is so extraordinary, something that's traditional for them for really, literally 1000s of years. And so it's almost impossible not to think, Oh, my goodness, they had they make such beautiful things, how can we link them to a global market so that they can get an income and have a little bit of an easier life? You know, so they also want to find a way to give them back for their amazing hospitality and kindness. For me when I was living with them. They treated me so kindly, you know, so I felt always like, it's not enough to be writing about them and the way they live. You got to do something about it. Yeah, you've had sort of inspiration. And tell me, Brenda, during those times of being able to live with my and families. And you talked about the importance of just the heritage of textiles and the weaving. Were there stories? Is it a culture where stories are attached to the weaving in the textiles? Or other folktales? Or is it just sort of ingrained in the culture? Oh, wow. There's so many stories, and it's so important in their lives, you know, like they have, their idea is that the, the moon, our grandmother, is the one that taught the first woman how to weave, the first woman created in the via, you know, mythology. And then now, the woman, I'm sorry, that moon appears to the girls who are learning to weave, and she guides them through. And so as soon as they make their first weaving a call to give their to the foot feet of the Virgin, our mother has been, you know, connected to Virgin Mary. So they go and they give their first weaving to have the woman who appeared in their dreams to help them. So it's full of meaning full of tradition, just full of all kinds of stories. Fascinating, I mean that, really, because I think that one of the things that moves so beautifully in textiles, and weaving, and just you know, tradition, culture and heritage is being able to pass those techniques down. And I think that, you know, the art of storytelling is just so powerful. And you find that it just permeates through so many cultures. And so I am not surprised that we have it here as well, in the communities

Dondrill Glover: 8:40

in Guatemala. Yeah,

Brenda Rosenbaum: 8:43

I'd love to, to stay in that vein, and sort of talk about what has sort of come out of all its incredible work in this connection that you've had with the community. I'd love to talk about my enhance, you and your husband are co founders. And I understand that you've partnered with more than 200 artists in women and 15 communities in the Guatemalan Highlands, along with the works that you're doing in Mexico, and you've you've also launched my enhance education fund. Can we talk a little bit about the mission that types of craft that are represented in regions, and as well as the social impact and what a what an accomplishment? I'd love to hear more about it? Yeah, thank you, Dan. That's, that's a really important question. So we've my enhanced we founded in 1990, and it works mostly in Guatemala. At the beginning, I did have some products from Chapas. But it was very, very difficult to bring them into this country. So now since 1990, we've been working with Guatemala. And we started small of course, and then grew and found that we have some of the cooperatives that have worked with us for the 32 years we've been in existence but in the along the journey we have You know, gotten more partners, more cooperatives to work with. And so we came to the mission you know, the mission was really what we had started with, of how to open markets for the explicit handcrafted work of mine Weaver's, so that they can count on a regular increment regular is important, I tell you what, why. And with this income, transcend extreme poverty send their children to school and have more control over their lives. Their were regular is important part of the mission Danville because we want them to have work every month, not just one order a year or something like that, but something that they can count on regularly. Because this is what's good, what gives them control over their lives. They know that month after month, they will be receiving this income. Oh, our artists and partners are just wonderful, they're always willing to try new things, create new things, you know, anything that will work and help get their products to the global marketplace. Of course, one of the most important parts of our mission is also to keep their important very, very central to their life and identity, the backstrap loom, which is what women weave on, that has been around for more than 3000 years. And we do textiles on the back strap loom that are just gorgeous run replacements, handbags, purses, scarves, we women make incredible pine needle baskets. Each one is a work of art, whimsical, charming, felt that animals and decorations, and many, many more products that you can check on our website. And the educational aspect of it, you know, it's very interesting, because most of the older Weaver's that we work with, they're illiterate, they do not know how to read or write because they never had the opportunity to go to school. And even now, girls are going more to school, but they stop grade fifth grade seats of elementary school. And you know, there's so much poverty in some areas that the daughters aren't married very early on. And they go on to have kids and then just reproduce the cycle of poverty. And education is a way to, you know, to have that to stop that cycle. So all the daughters of our weavers that are artists and partners who want to go to school, they have a scholarship with us. And I'm happy to say that several of them are already at the university level. And they come from others who don't have to read or write. But they are going to be university graduates. It's very, very exciting that is at my bed is excellent. I mean, it really, you know, you've said so much at a stood out in that answer. I've tried to kind of tap on a few things, because it's fairly impactful. One of the things you're talking about having regular work, and I think it it affirms over and over again, why sustainable development in marginalized artists and communities are so vital and so important in driving those conscious value principles, because if we can do that sustainable work and fair trade and fair wage, I mean, it really gives a cycle. And then you also mentioned that the girls are often dropped out of school by sixth grade. Now is that is that sort of due to obviously with the challenge in the social structure of with the education and, and poverty and so forth? But is that also tie to our most of the communities there? Are they farmers and our children, particularly girls being dropped out of school to work on a farm? or do some other kind of manual labor? Yeah, yeah. So it's usually, you know, the concept is that boys need to go to school, but girls, not because their husband will support them. Well, that's important because we know so girls are needed in the house, you know, to help their mothers, they have quite a few kids, they have to go to work in the house with taking care of animals cooking, you know, all of that and the families have poor so they can sustain in school. So that's give them a monthly you know, installments so that the family gets some income and the girls can go to the girls can go to school. It's wonderful to know that with this education fund, through my enhance but you know that you are actually making some change and that girls were able to get educated. I didn't realize that the organization was so old, but you've really been on the ground For a very long time, that gives you a tremendous insight and understanding. So thank you for sharing that. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, one, one last thing that I want to say about education. Because it mothers didn't have a chance to go to school. And they're, you know, in this mindset, cultural mindset at the time, that only boys should go, when the girls when they when the monitors were little, the parents hid them under the bed so that they when the teachers came, they would know that there was a girl there, you know, supposedly it's obligatory. But now, the mothers are so thrilled that their girls are going to school because they understand just how important it is in their future. So the mothers are helping us a lot to Ha, that's it, that's amazing. I, I, it just the fact that now the girls can can show up and be shown in it, it's got to mean a tremendous amount to the mothers for an opportunity that that they didn't have. And I always say if you if you're able to teach your children, they can in turn, turn around and teach you. So the cycle continues. I'd love to move forward to talk about what inspired this conversation, in addition to the fact that you and I both are members of weavers for peace. It's good to sort of be in the sisterhood of an organization. But this conversation started with an article that you had written. And I, I read the article on the site of our group, and it was for the National weavers movement in Guatemala. And it was incredibly eye opening. And I felt it was a crucially important article, in my view. And And with that, I am just so happy that we're able to bring another light another lens upon that conversation today. Brenda, I would love to talk about what inspired the movement. I mean, you wrote this incredible article, and did this research and tell us about the movement, the National weavers movement of Guatemala? What a great opportunity. Thank you for, you know, having the space to talk about that. Because this is a very hopeful movement for all of us who work with weavers because, you know, we've been trying to help the tradition continue by being able to connect them to global markets and all that, but it's a minimal effort. So what's 200 weavers when they're half a million Weaver's in Guatemala, you know, so now, it's so optimistic to have this movement of Mayan Weaver's. And the way it started is very interesting, because it started, when designers that have been trying to take advantage of this amazing talent of mine, women went to the communities and spoke to the women. And they would say, Oh, look, here's this design you make, and you make it in a different corner, please. And instead of just one, and you put three and small details like that, and the woman, of course, with wavy, she wants to make a little bit of income, and she would sell the piece and that the designer turned around and said, Well, this is the piece that I decide, that's my design, and if you risk reproduce it you have to pay me oh, you know, so they appropriated the sign. And these was happening more and more, because it looks like the world all of a sudden, found out that there are these great, you know, talented weavers, and that they can buy their products for nothing, you know, or take advantage of their designs. So that we were started saying, so what do we do? We're scared, you know, and they started talking among themselves. And these became a really the center of what the, you know, the analysis, there was a small group in one community that started talking about it. And when they found out that this was going on everywhere, then they really brought in anthropologist and journalists and everything and how do we do deal with this? What are we going to do about this? And then they started analyzing the situation and realizing that this appropriation, and this exploitation was taking lead that was taking place at different levels, for example, on bill, we all, as they do started seeing that they were mountains of their very beautiful blouses that, you know, the women were for themselves, they're called we believe in the markets, and that you could go to the market and buy one for $5 when this we believe is blouses take months to make what's going on. They said What's this happening? It was somewhat new in the 80s and 90s. You know, any 10 increase more and more and then we discovered that what was going on is that people were going to the communities and asking the women to sell the we pay less for nothing. for something that you were three or four months, they would pay $5 for $3. You know, and we're then Wow, incredible content, they would buy it in the market and make beautiful bags that they sold line for $400. You know, so the woman who made it has been paid, maybe $5, if she's not 10, for work for three months or more, and then the merchant is making, you know, all the money, I have the worst problem. Yeah. So that gave origin let's see, that was the center of the birth of this movement. And from there on there started these women got together, they started traveling to all the indigenous communities in the highlands, talk with the weavers what's going on here, etc, etc. And it kind of all culminated in an effort that they now have to ask the country to enact laws of copyright so that people cannot appropriate designs, you know, still designs from the communities without giving the community any credit for being the originators of the design, or to try to sell to stop the selling of we pay less for those miserable prices. And the movement is very critical of all the businesses that are doing that buying for $10 and selling for 400. So they have put all of that in the public light. So now the government knows they're trying to enact laws, it's on social media, really sizing the businesses that are doing this, they are criticizing the Guatemalan government, because the tourist agency has a program that's called the Maya world. So what Amala is the heart of the Maya world and the picture of these women with the repellents and everything, and then the women don't benefit at all. They're just like, you know, a poster, that where people get, oh, my goodness, let's go to Guatemala to see, and they love this stuff. But the women don't get any benefits, I think, benefits. So that's the origin of the movement. And now they also have a book. So for all of us, who are lovers, you know, of the, of the, the, the products of the color of the talent and the backstrap loom. And, you know, it's an exciting thing that now within their own Maya culture, this movement has come, you know, has come into existence, and it's protecting their heritage. You know, this is a very ancient heritage, I am so inspired. And as you have found that the weavers, the communities of women, who people often like to dismiss how they've galvanized, and to let people know that, you know, we do understand when when there's injustice, and it's against us, and I am still struggling with layers within the industry, where misunderstanding doesn't go deeper. And to know the amount of work that goes into weaving, a beautiful piece of textile of clothing, a scarf, whatever you call it. You know, you're weaving in culture, heritage, the time that it takes. And part of the reason that we're so drawn to these incredible indigenous cultures is because they're, they're so old, and they're so knowledgeable, and they're things that we will bring to the table today. So my heart breaks on the end that artisans are still dealing with this kind of abuse. And then on the other side, my heart jumps, because you've got organizations that are activating, and really invoking change and getting the world the word out along with with some of the things that you've mentioned about, you know, and it kind of lines up with my next two questions, as we talk about, you know, fair trade and, you know, the cultural misrepresentations and further marginalizing weave communities of weaving communities. And then we talked about the design rights as well. them not being able to, to be threatened to be sued. Just I am. Wow, I mean, to a vulnerable Weaver. I just can't. It's amazing. It's yeah, it's incredible. Yeah. Kind of stunned me with that. I'd love to sort of even go a little further to ask some of the within the the movement and some of the issues that they've been able to address. Have there been other social and justices that are happening that they have been able to sort Bring up as well. And when we talk about the fair wage, and then you talked about the government sort of becoming involved, and is that involvement that have a support in penalizing, you know, companies and organizations that are not following protocol or that are taking an abuse of power? Well, that's a very good question. So the weavers really, very carefully work with lawyers, and present this, how you call in this, they're asking for law to be, you know, this, this sign to protect them from abuses, those laws were not, did not happen, did not happen. I mean, the copyright law is very complicated, you know, because then the communities are the owners of the designs. And so who would get the money, but notwithstanding, I think there's not the appetite in the, the law makers to do that. But the one thing that prospered was the criticism against in guac, which is the tourist agency. And so that is still being fought in the courts, that you know, in what should not use the image of Mayan women, if there's going to be no benefit for them, so that if I'm not wrong, it's still being fought. The important thing about this is that the movement is out there, internationally, in the papers in Guatemala, the leaders have been asked to give talks in this country and in Europe and everything. So they the word is out there, don't really and that's great, that's great. You know, they're fighting also racism, because very several of the businesses that work with my end products made from weepy lists and stuff, all the products in an offensive way for the for the Myos. You know, like, there's a store called CFN, detox, the seven little Indians, and stuff like that. So they've been really sizing this. And so I think that for all of us who work, either in fair trade, like we do, or commercial, that we are all going to be more careful and ask for their advice. So if we want to do this, what would be the right way to do it, businesses should do that. They should be more sensitive, you know, more respectful. So I'm hoping that all this work of the movement will bring along that kind of response, and also a fight, fight against my cheese more, you know, to gender equality, which is coming. Absolutely. I mean, that it's called Corporate Responsibility and having social values. One of the things that is happening here in this country, as you know, because you you live here is that consumers have responded in a huge way. And I'm so proud of the fact that the demand is, you have to be in line with my value principles, you have to support things that I feel affect me in my community. And you're we're finding as much as 70% of consumers in the US are willing to support brands that have a value system that are corporately responsible, that are aligned with values and community. And I think that that consumer demand is the driving force for change that you're seeing all around the country and, and throughout various places in the world. And so I am very hopeful for Guatemala that some of those things will translate so that we do find more equity, and people feeling more responsible for their messaging, and how folks are treated, particularly when they are the suppliers of goods that have legacy. And no matter who you are, you should be respected. But it is it is challenging to hear, when you have very well been the root and the foundation of civilizations that descendants would have to steal, deal with this sort of discriminatory discriminatory practices and just sort of being dehumanized and but then you see a light of rising and so that is always inspiring. I'd love to I think we have an opportunity, Brenda, in this conversation to also sort of do a mindful education and understanding to impart upon, you know, designers and brands, retailers, industry, people who are working, so many that are working in global handmade and do it with passion and do it with great integrity. But let's talk about that fair trade, fair wages and sort of those cultural misrepresentations again that because they marginalized communities, how would How do we turn this behavior around? You know, and how do we move on more towards a quality in working with weavers, what are some of the things that we should think about before we take on a project? Yeah. Well, that's that's a good question. From the perspective of the Mayan movement, I think that, you know, the the way that they're dealing with these things and putting them out there for all of us, we can't no longer say we can no longer say, Oh, I didn't know. Or I thought that it was like this, or, you know, now we know what's going on. So as you were saying, it's up to us, it's our responsibility to find out what's the way to do it before the movement and before this level of awareness, if people did whatever they want. And I have to say, I'm sad to say that some people have jumped into the fairtrade ban bandwagon, and they said, they're fair trade, and they're not. So that's kind of problematic, you know, because you're buying things as a customer. You want something handmade and socially responsible, and you're buying it because this business is saying that they're, they're fair trade, they're paying fair wages and respecting the producers, and they're not. And so that complicates matters, but it's up to us to, to us and the customers to find out exactly what's going on. And you know, what's exciting, the unreal about the movement also, is that three to two generations ago, in the 80s, let's say, if my and women who went to college, and they were son, you know, they change their clothes, to wear clothes, like us western clothes, because they know they're going to be discriminated, you know, if there were in their tracking, but nowadays, all the Maya women professionals, doctors, poets, musicians, you name it, you know, they're all wearing the traffic. So that's another is like, the movement is growing, not only about the weaving, but about all professional women, by women and all women in general, via women in general. And therefore, that is fantastic, because then that's going to be dealing with gender discrimination, which is so so strong in Guatemala. Yeah. That, you know, it really, I mean, it leads me well into my next question, but I think just what you've just mentioned, you know, we began to normalize, and I think that's a part of the goal, just to start put it on and wear it. And, and not apologize for, for wearing of clothes that are attached to the cultural legacy, particularly when it's selling so much in an artist in but just regular people walking around. I think that's really empowering and that women are standing up in that way. As I mentioned, it leads me into my next. My next point with you is that, you know, we've talked about in current conversations in previous conversations as well. We've talked about the oppression of Indigenous women, particularly in what she's cultures, and yet Guatemalan women have emerged courageously defiant, and determined to hold on to their legacy, rightfully inherited. That's really brave, and it's deeply inspiring and, and with that, I'd love to dive into, you know, the textiles, women weaving in the carrying of identity on on their skins. Oh, yeah, that's very important, because we really haven't spoken a lot about the backstrap loom, and weaving as the very heart of Mayan culture. You see, when the Spaniards when the Spanish Spanish invaders arrived, the what happened was that the men, the Indigenous men, were compelled to ask, I'm sorry to act as intermediaries between the Spanish authorities and the indigenous communities. And so they learn Spanish and they you know, acculturated assimilated a lot more to the general culture than women. Women stayed in their communities, speaking their languages, raising their kids with their language, weaving the family's clothing, identifying as my transmitting the backstrap loom technology that's 3500 years old, as I mentioned before, and just you know, being the root, really the root of my own identity women it's amazing their role, you know, and so there's this and as I told you, when I was a kid, what I thought was, Wow, what why do this woman, women continue wearing their clothes if they know that by wearing it, they're going to be discriminated, pushed off the street called names everything It is, as you said, it's very courageous. But that's, it's the women who have kept the identity. And these very famous Mayan artists, Paola Mitchell, she has a wonderful picture, you can find it online, that's called the weebill is my second skin, where she draws her blouse for, you know, woven with symbols, and everything right on her skin is not a cloth that she's wearing, is it on her skin. And that gives us the image very literally, of how the identities so strong is in the weaving of their clothes. You know? It's incredible. It's it just, it really, really isn't. And I do remember, in one of our conversations we spoke about, that the connection to the identity in the loom and the woven fabrics and textiles are so important that they even carry on in the afterlife in terms of during a burial ceremonies. You mentioned a little I'd love to just Yes, not a bit because that was that was such an insightful moment for me like, Wow, what a connection. Yes, the women want to wear their finest we feel the finest blouse, they wove when they're buried their work, where they're buried in the repeat wearing the repeal. So you imagine just how powerful that is that from the time they're babies until they die, this is who they are. And they're not, even though they suffer because of it. Because they're discriminated. They it's important, it makes them proud there, you know, they that's what they want to be they want to be who they are. That's amazing. Well, you know, if you, if you look at it, it just it kind of reminds me a bit of the ancient Egyptians, that sort of, you know, being really connected to the culture, even in an afterlife spaces of your transition. So that's really, really powerful in a very, very spiritual way. You know, I know that we've we talked a little earlier about the new generation. And I'd love to move forward to talk about that, you know, the new generation, the intelligence, their impact and reclaiming Mayan weaving heritage and culture and returning to their ancestral homes. What impact has that had on the national weavers movement agenda? I know that many of them are a part of the movement. And I'd love to know, what's happening in the communities now and how are they changing and impacting within the organization? Well, I think is nothing short of a revolution, you know, because what is my and women intelligence? Yeah, that forms the core of the mind movement. Then you travel around many, many indigenous communities, talking with the weavers gathering them together, forming councils, weaving councils, in every small community, so that people can talk about their problems, they can talk about how, what the weaving means to them, how the outside world should be more respectful. So there is it's a movement, it's a growing awareness in the women themselves, the weavers in their small communities, about the importance of the weaving, because you know, after a while, when you're put down and put down and put down by the larger culture, you can start thinking, oh, what I'm doing is not you know, it's not worth it. Everybody thinks it's, they pay me five $5 For work of six months. So this is a kind of a reassurance is strengthening a, also in numbers, because now this councils get together, all of them sometimes during the year, and they have I've seen them on Facebook, it's wonderful to see them on Facebook, they're organizing sales of their weavings in different townships in the country, different communities. So it's become a really like a, a connection between all the weavers and the intelligencia that's working with them, which is really, really powerful. You know, really, it really, I love the turnaround. We spoke a bit earlier about how you repeat a cycle. And the fact that this cycle has now come to that younger generation, being educated, and going to university and coming back and infusing a whole new sense of pride and reclaiming and now they're really showing how much they understand. Much like that little girl that you were watching through the eyes, and it's really, really beautiful to see It turned around. And for me, I'm sure like with many other people, it just sort of confirms that there is always hope, and, and moving forward. And so that, that leaves me in a really warm place, I'd love to make sure that we mentioned know that there's a very important book that has been written. And it's holds a lot of information for Mayan culture, and things that were able to be preserved and shared. And I'm sure there'll be many people who are interested. And if you could mention the title of the book, so that for listeners who are interested that they can go and find some information there. I mean, it's whole so much to Mayan culture. And I'm sure things about the motifs and designs in history. So it'd be great to kind of share what that book is, because I know that we'll be late, we'll be ending it with a wonderful quote, and I'm excited to be able to share that with our audience. Yeah, so that's just one more thing I wanted to say about education. Absolutely. That the, in the councils in the communities. Now there is an awareness that the younger people who are in school, they also want to learn to weave even if it's not going to be their profession. Let's say they're not going to be weavers. Maybe they're going to be doctors, but they wouldn't have learned how to weave also the women and even some boys are learning, you know, so they have established all these schools of weaving all throughout the community backstrap weaving which is wonderful. Now, the book is called in Spanish mistress, the hero so last Libris color Colonia Nobu okay Mar, our weavings are the books that Spanish colonizers could not burn, they burned. The books that the Maya have several books, and they were burned because of the wanted to get rid of all pagan influences. It was the mind of the Inquisition. But in the textiles, the women were encoding the whole cosmology, you know, important values and everything. And it was the Spanish saw that and didn't know that all that pressure was right there in the textile, and it was being transmitted to the next generation. So that's what the title of the book means that the Spanish could not burn the textiles because they didn't know just how important they were to bring the culture to the next generation. And we're translating it in English. It's I don't know if I already said it in English, but if I haven't, the title would be our weavings are the books that Spanish colonizers could not burn. And we are at my enhance where translating it into English, so it will be available right now we have a few copies, you can look for them on our website. Excellent. Excellent, I will definitely be grabbing one of those copies. And, and thank you so much for sharing that information. Once again, it's affirming how important literature is in to hold on to the stories to translate them to share them, so that we can all come into a greater understanding a discovery. And I am so grateful for that book being around because it really holds a lot of information to the culture. So and it also goes back to how important textiles are. So thank you so much for sharing that. Brenda. I mean, I What can I say? I mean, you know, it's been an incredibly informative and revealing conversation and, and truly a conversation that needs to continue social justice, for just social justice in Guatemala for weavers that, of course we've raised around the world. Although we've made tremendous strides here in the West in gender equality, we indeed need to continue to raise awareness in places where insurmountable challenges are still at play. But it's also wonderful to hear a brave warrior standing up and moving the agenda forward and reclaiming. So that in itself means so much it helps to propel us forward. I'd love to make sure that listeners are able to stay in touch with you and learn more about my enhance and the work that you're doing in Guatemala and the collections and of course keeping an eye on the national weavers movement in Guatemala. Can you share your social media contacts and informations up with us? Wonderful, thank you. Thank you. Yeah, please come to our website and you can see blogs and all and all of our products and what we do it said there and it's www my enhanced dot O R G and you can find my enhance on Facebook and on Instagram to my enhance ma YNHAN The s.org So I hope to see many of you coming to visit us website. Absolutely. Thank you so much Brenda, and then for our listeners I will definitely give a recap of Have Brenda's contact information for website and Facebook and Instagram so that you are able to reach out and get in touch and also to follow socially those followers It really means a lot. We're able to get the message out and of course learn so much more about my enhance in the organizations that we were talking about today. Brenda, what can I say thank you so much for making time with for us today meant a lot to talk to you. And this series of journeys and narratives and global handmade and we have truly been on a journey in our conversation with you today. So I thank you. And thank you so much for First of all, for finding us and for allowing us this wonderful opportunity. And thank you also to New York now I'm very appreciative to, we just need to spread the word about women, their culture, their movement and all of that and I thank you very much for the opportunity

Dondrill Glover: 45:57

to connect with Brenda and learn more about my enhance, visit mayanhands.com and follow on Instagram at myanhands my a weaving is more than just symbols and colors. They are the language of our relationship with the cosmos and our deep love for life. They are evidence that we Maya people are still alive. The National weavers movement of the Republic of Guatemala, thank you for joining us in journeys and narratives and global handmade Thank you for listening to the New York now podcast. Make sure to tune in weekly for engaging and insightful conversations touching on the most relevant topics facing our community today. Is it New York now calm to learn more about our market and how you can join in on the conversation