Minneapolis Institute of Art

Woman's ceremonial blouse (Huipil)

Kaqchikel Maya artist

Date

c. 1950s

Medium

Cotton, silk, embroidery, appliqué

Culture

Kaqchikel Maya

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Many ancient cultures of the Americas used feathers to embellish clothing, headdresses and ritual objects, and the Maya were no exception. Images on Classic Maya pottery and murals clearly show feathers adorning deities, warriors and nobility. The women of Patzún embroider stylized feather shapes on their ceremonial huipiles, referencing the myths and customs of the ancestors. These feathers encircle the head opening of the huipil and their arrangement suggests the rays of the sun, while the central rosette symbolizes the moon. Huipiles with feather motif embroidery are only used as wedding huipiles or for Cofradía (religious or civic brotherhood) rituals. Unlike many other communities where commercial cotton fabric forms the ground for embroidery, the women of Patzún use backstrap woven fabric. Kaqchikel Maya, Guatemala

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