The Huipiles of Guatemala

There are many compelling reasons to visit Guatemala: the temperate climate; the Maya ruins at Tikal; Lake Atitlan, once described by Aldous Huxley as the most beautiful lake in the world; the dramatic volcanoes. Another reason is to witness the Maya tradition of woven textiles, as typified by indigenous women proudly wearing traje (pronounced tra-je) - a loom-woven, wrap around skirt held together by a cinturon or belt, topped by a huipil  (wee-pil). Maya women have dressed this way since Pre-Columbian times.

Woman wearing a huipil (closeup)

Photo: John Bordwell

Roxane Shaughnessy, from the Textile Museum of Canada, began her April 19^th lecture, “Weaving Identities”, with this quote: “To wear Maya dress is to accept the invitation written by our ancestors.”

Visitors to Mia can view a selection of huipiles from Mia’s collection, on view in gallery 281 until August 2, 2026. The exhibition is curated by Valeria Piccoli. The works in the exhibition come from a gift of textiles from Dr. Richard Simmons and his late wife, Roberta.

Maya artist, Guatemala woman's ceremonial blouse (huipil), c. 1900

Silk, cotton, discontinuous supplementary weft patterning, appliqué, embroidery

Gift of Richard L. Simmons in memory of Roberta G. Simmons • 95.116.1

A huipil is a woven tunic constructed from two or three rectangular pieces of fabric which are handwoven and stitched together lengthwise. A hole is cut in the center as a neckline and is bound with velvet, ribbon or embroidery. Before the sides are sewn together (leaving spaces for armholes), the fabric may be embellished with more embroidery, beads, knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, appliqué, or commercial trims. In three-panel huipiles, the center piece is usually the most ornately decorated. An over-huipil (sobre-huipil) is a larger version of a huipil, made to be worn for special or ceremonial occasions over the everyday (diario) huipil.

In the Maya culture, the preparation of fiber and the weaving are more than simply the construction of clothing and household textiles. The flat disc that is used to spin fiber into thread, called a spindle whorl, is associated with the Maya creation story of how the Maize God laid out the universe and generated time by setting the stars in motion. Maya weaving often conveys this symbolism, passed down through generations, depicting the cosmos, the forces of nature, and creation.

The back strap loom on which women weave the panels that will become their huipiles has been in use since 1500 BCE. Cotton, agave and other plant fibers were used exclusively until the Spanish introduced sheep and wool that became prized in cooler regions. Nowadays, the cotton is factory spun and weavers use other fibers including silk, metallic thread, pearl cotton, and synthetics. Natural brown cotton (cuyuscate) is still often handspun and reserved for ceremonial over-huipiles.

Woman weaving on a back strap loom with her reference pattern

Photo: Lisa Berg

To this day, weaving remains a means by which Maya women express their individual, community, and cultural identities. Traditionally, each town (pueblo) incorporated distinctive colors, designs, and motifs into their weavings. Since the Conquest, some of these designs have also incorporated European motifs. Within this framework, women insert their personal touches which make their individual huipiles so distinctive that other weavers in the town often can identify a huipil’s maker.

A wonderful example of a distinctive pueblo design in our exhibit is the huipil from the town of Chichicastenango.

Maya artist, Guatemala woman's ceremonial blouse (huipil), c. 1930-400

Silk, cotton, discontinuous supplementary weft patterning, embroidery

Gift of Richard L. Simmons • 2007.97.31

Photo: Lisa Berg

Young Mayan women proudly wear their traditional clothing in Chichicastenango, 2019

Photo: Lisa Berg

If the sides of this three-panel huipil were unstitched and the garment laid flat, the embroidery around the center hole would resemble the sun’s rays. The weaving design forms a cross and the four cloth medallions (front, back and shoulders) represent the four cardinal directions. The wearer is thus placed in the center of the universe surrounded by family and community symbols that she created to express her particular identity. This design is characteristic of all the huipiles woven in Chichicastenango and, traditionally, a woman wearing these designs would certainly have hailed from there.

But times change. Today, women sometimes purchase huipiles from other regions, presumably because they are attracted to the design. 

Huipils for sale at a retail store

Photo: Lisa Berg

Showing huipil cloth at a retail store

Photo: Lisa Berg

The iconography woven into huipiles has always been varied. Geometric shapes, plants, animals, birds, human figures and other images may be woven in a stylized or abstract fashion. The feathered serpent, representing both earth and sky, is a common element. The ceiba tree is another. Additionally, many motifs used now have no particular symbolism or have lost their cosmological significance. Indeed, similar designs may have dramatically different meanings. For example, a zigzag shape may signify a serpent, hills, or the ups and downs of a woman’s life. 

In a recent study, referenced in the book “Sown Symbols” by Barbara Knoke de Arathoon, many of the Maya women who participated knew little of the symbols common in huipil designs. Additionally, weavers employ artistic license, inserting new meanings for symbols, in part to make their wares more marketable. Guatemalan weaving has become a commercial commodity and many women are now weaving not just to clothe, but also to feed their families.

Martha Bordwell has been visiting Guatemala since 1979, most recently to volunteer as a translator for her husband in medical clinics in rural areas. Lisa Berg has travelled extensively in Guatemala, working with archeologists and studying Maya weaving since 2007. She also worked with Mia’s fabulous Maya textile collection from to 2013 to 2021 with Jill Alhberg-Yohe.