| ...through middle and secondary school and was the only one of six siblings in her family to receive a formal education. After graduating from high school as a chartered accountant, she focused her career in grass-roots community organizing and education, working with several Mayan, grass-roots organizations to improve the lives of her people through community development projects. While working in isolated, rural communities around Lake Atitlan, Maria found time to study Economy at the University of San Carlos satellite campus in Solola, and studied for two more years. In 2003, she moved to Spokane, Washington, with her two daughters to assist her husband to expand their importing business, that supports Mayan artisans by marketing their beautiful, quality hand-woven textiles and crafts. |  |
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Maria speaks in both Spanish and her native Maya Kakchiquel fluently and, of course, is adding English as well. She still dresses today in her "traje", the traditional clothing of her village although now having lived in the Pacific Northwest for some 4 years. In addition, to this day, Maria still weaves some of her own textiles. (And believe it or not, she can be seen, from time to time, in Spokane carrying her newborn on her back in a sling of hand-woven cloth.) She is truly a living example of a culture struggling to maintain its identity in an increasingly Westernized and generic world. Now Maria brings you Maya Color, a creative, weaving arts and cultural website to ensure that our world will continue to be rich in diversity and strong in tradition. From weaving to arts and crafts to traditional foods to the people of Guatemala we say "Welcome to land of the trees" - Bienvenidos a la Tierra de los Arboles. Visit often and get to know Maria, her country and her heritage. Maria's Credentials -Links - Calendar of Events - Culture - Weaving - Contact Maria |
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