The DMV area is home to a unique and culturally rich community – the indigenous Maya of Guatemala, who keep their roots palpable.
An entrepreneur’s eye among them created the perfect way to help fellow artisans and offer a little bit of their country to the United States.
The Mayan indigenous communities, settled in the surroundings of the nation’s capital, are distinguished from the rest through their clothing: hands that weave in a distant country and the perfect space to keep their customs alive.
Elena de León, a single mother of five children, is the creator of the perfect intersection between the art of her people and the demand for her creations.
“The idea came about because I saw the numbers of Mayan women who come from my town and this also arose from customs, I want their identity not to be lost,” said de León.
The women weavers at the DMV and in Nebaj, department of Quiché, are mothers and widows in great need of work. For their part, in the United States they are a people that clings to not leaving their roots behind.
“It is a joy that we feel when we see that she sells our clothes,” said María Raymund Rodríguez. “She makes us feel that we are in my town, in the Nebaj market.”
“In your country, it is difficult for you to bring the color you want, and that is very important to us because you already have everything here, so close, in your hands. Then you have the option of choosing the color and size that you need”, said Pedro Velazco Pérez.
The pride with which they wear their costumes allows them to be ambassadors of their country wherever they go, a custom that is instilled in their daily lives to new generations.
“I feel proud to go to school like this and to be different and to wear my suit because this suit is what identifies me since I was little,” said Feliciana Gema López, a high school student. “My grandparents have put this suit on me and I have loved it a lot.”
Each of the colors has a meaning that reminds them of their identity. The detailed embroidery of the güipil makes it one of the most beautiful costumes in Guatemala.
For de León, it is extremely important not only to support his community through Ixhil Mayan clothing. She does not want to limit herself to that, but she wants to be an ambassador of her culture and show the world that there is a little bit for everyone.
