freepb.org - San Diego Community Showcase - Museum of Man Exhibits Mayans and Guatemalan Weavings

We love living in San Diego: there is so much to see and do here that we count ourselves extremely lucky to call this community our home. San Diego is home to a strong and thriving culture, and in appreciating this great community in which we live, it's always enriching and rewarding to soak in a bit of that culture. San Diego's Museum of Man is self described as an "educational, non-profit corporation founded in 1915 to collect and preserve for posterity the life and history of humankind," and features wonderful exhibits from the Maya and Kumeyaay (ancient Californians!) peoples to ancient Egypt and body ornamentation that has no geographic boundary. The museum is a cultural and physical anthropology museum, and is open to the public in Balboa Park.

Currently at the museum is an exhibit featuring the colorful and beautiful weavings of the Mayan people of Guatemala in Central America. Although a trip to Guatemala would certainly be the best way to appreciate these wonderful displays of color and skill, this exhibit is not far behind a visit with samples from thirty different Mayan villages across the country. Traditionally, the Mayan people have worn clothing made on back strap looms, and they make men's and women's head cloths, utility cloths, men's kilts and pants, women's skirts, shawls, sashes, ribbons and even bags and blankets. Perhaps the most striking and popular product throughout the villages of Guatemala is the huipil, or an upper body garment worn by women throughout the country.

The huipil is worn for everyday use, and its design and colors can describe the village and the area that a person is from. For example, a dark blue and white design can distinguish a person that comes from the city of Coban while other variations from the same department of Alta Verapaz could be completely different in color, style, and design. There are also many more intricate designs that are used for festivals, rituals, and other important events. In some Guatemalan communities a woman is given an ornate and beautifully hand woven huipil for her wedding, and women traditionally make this clothing for their entire families!

A permanent exhibit at the museum tells us more about the roots of the people of Guatemala - the Maya. South of Coban and the Verapaces lie the ruins of Quirigua, where stelae of stone stand, intricately carved with the hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya who once called that area of Guatemala their own. The glyphs tell the stories of the ancient rulers and gods of the Mayan culture. The museum features four exact replicas of those stelae and two zoomorphs from the ancient Guatemalan town. Also found in this exhibit are ancient Mayan artifacts, a colorful mural depicting the flora and fauna of the surrounding jungle, and descriptions of the process that was used to make the carvings.

So before you sign up for a Coban Spanish school and start planning your trip to Guatemala to gain an appreciation for the Mayan people of the past and the present, we suggest that you first consider a trip to one of our San Diego community's own cultural treasures to get a taste!


"Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty." -- Wendell Phillips Join freepb.org Join your Town Council Beach Alcohol Task Force News Mission Statement Letters & Articles Contact Us Links & Local Contacts Partners/Sponsors Volunteer Opportunities		San Diego Community Showcase - Mayans and Guatemalan Weavings at the Museum of Man We love living in San Diego: there is so much to see and do here that we count ourselves extremely lucky to call this community our home. San Diego is home to a strong and thriving culture, and in appreciating this great community in which we live, it's always enriching and rewarding to soak in a bit of that culture. San Diego's Museum of Man is self described as an "educational, non-profit corporation founded in 1915 to collect and preserve for posterity the life and history of humankind," and features wonderful exhibits from the Maya and Kumeyaay (ancient Californians!) peoples to ancient Egypt and body ornamentation that has no geographic boundary. The museum is a cultural and physical anthropology museum, and is open to the public in Balboa Park. Currently at the museum is an exhibit featuring the colorful and beautiful weavings of the Mayan people of Guatemala in Central America. Although a trip to Guatemala would certainly be the best way to appreciate these wonderful displays of color and skill, this exhibit is not far behind a visit with samples from thirty different Mayan villages across the country. Traditionally, the Mayan people have worn clothing made on back strap looms, and they make men's and women's head cloths, utility cloths, men's kilts and pants, women's skirts, shawls, sashes, ribbons and even bags and blankets. Perhaps the most striking and popular product throughout the villages of Guatemala is the huipil, or an upper body garment worn by women throughout the country. The huipil is worn for everyday use, and its design and colors can describe the village and the area that a person is from. For example, a dark blue and white design can distinguish a person that comes from the city of Coban while other variations from the same department of Alta Verapaz could be completely different in color, style, and design. There are also many more intricate designs that are used for festivals, rituals, and other important events. In some Guatemalan communities a woman is given an ornate and beautifully hand woven huipil for her wedding, and women traditionally make this clothing for their entire families! A permanent exhibit at the museum tells us more about the roots of the people of Guatemala - the Maya. South of Coban and the Verapaces lie the ruins of Quirigua, where stelae of stone stand, intricately carved with the hieroglyphs of the ancient Maya who once called that area of Guatemala their own. The glyphs tell the stories of the ancient rulers and gods of the Mayan culture. The museum features four exact replicas of those stelae and two zoomorphs from the ancient Guatemalan town. Also found in this exhibit are ancient Mayan artifacts, a colorful mural depicting the flora and fauna of the surrounding jungle, and descriptions of the process that was used to make the carvings. So before you sign up for a Coban Spanish school and start planning your trip to Guatemala to gain an appreciation for the Mayan people of the past and the present, we suggest that you first consider a trip to one of our San Diego community's own cultural treasures to get a taste!

San Diego Community Showcase - Mayans and Guatemalan Weavings at the Museum of Man