Saturday, April 13, 2019
From 10 AM to 12 PM
Studio D (3rd Floor)
$20 Admission
An introduction to Mayan Backstrap weaving. Weavers demonstrate and guide participants throughout the production process, practiced for over 2,000 years by Indigenous Maya women in Central America. This interactive workshop explores the different techniques used to create textiles and explains their cultural significance.
Presented in collaboration with the Mam Oakland Community.
With this introductory weaving demonstration, participants will have the opportunity to learn about backstrap weaving and see it in action. The demo will start with a 15-20 min introduction, where weavers will share a bit about the history and cultural importance of backstrap weaving, practiced for over 2,000 years by indigenous Maya women in Central America.
After this, we’ll break up into three stations, each will outline a specific step in the backstrap weaving process. Participants will be able to learn fully about each step, before changing stations and learning about another step. There’ll be a weaver working at each station, with someone else explaining what’s happening throughout the process. In these stations, there will also be interactive opportunities for participants to help and get their hands on the thread and weavings.
We’ll end with a Q&A where the women can answer questions about weaving as well as an update about what projects are being planned in the Mam Oakland Community that people can get further involved in.