Maria, weaver - Nahuala
Maria: Guatemala Weaver in Nahuala
Maria actually lives in Nahualá municipality, in the neighbouring 'Departamento de Solola', although, I first met her in May 2008 while I was studying Spanish language at Escuela Miguel de Cervantes in Quetzaltenego (Guatemala's second city).
Normally she, like many other weavers and sellers have to walk the streets hoping to sell a little something here or there to a tourist. But also once a week Maria would come into the school, bringing with her many colourful fabrics, hand-woven by her and friends in her village. She'd sit on the floor, in a shaded spot just in from the courtyard, and in her gentle but totally committed way, take down her heavy-looking bundle from her head and spread out her wares for us to view.
As a backpacker, you have to travel light(!) but I was continually captured by the vibrant colours of the 'bufandas' or neck-scarves she would show us, and it seemed every week I would buy a handful, knowing I would enjoy giving them as gifts to friends back home, and certainly keeping a few to wear myself!
The response from friends who received them as gifts was so enthusiastic, that I decided to buy a larger quantity (a total of 300 first-up) of scarves to send home to NZ for sale, knowing this would also represent a huge order for Maria and her relatives. I also committed to not haggle-down on price for such a quantity, and paid her up-front (through Western Union).
People who've bought the scarves have been touched with the story of Maria and that she's getting more business: it's kind of like a mini 'trade-aid'. But rather than 'aid' I see it as favouring a friend with more business and orders for what she already makes.
Now, at the beginning of 2017 after several return-trips to Guatemala, plus better and better Spanish I'm now much more competent and can learn more about Maria's world too. For example Maria is 54 and though she never formally went to school, she speaks a good level of Spanish as a second language (her first being K'iche). Also I can call her anytime now on her mobile phone from Skype, from anywhere in the world :-)
I've begun meeting other weavers too, from other villages and regions and treating them with the same courtesy, friendship and small business opportunities. I can't begin to tell you the number of ways and levels of fulfillment I feel about these dignified and important people.
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