Pro-teje  is  the  Ixchel Museum’s Textile Committee that  plans,  executes and evaluates programs prepared for the  Guatemalan  Mayan weavers. The name Pro-teje comes from Pro-Tejedoras in Spanish, which means Pro-Weavers.

For many thousand of years Mayan weavers have been transmitting  their art from generation to generation, and with this project many enthusiastic volunteers and operative personnel are helping them to carry on.

Pro-teje’s mission is to help maintain a high quality textile handicraft. The programs are directed to the  recovery, preservation and revitalization of the techniques and procedures used by the ancient weavers.

Guatemala’s primary culture is acknowledged and valued, at the same time that social and economic support is given the Guatemalan Mayan weavers.

To promote production  by commercializing high quality textiles, made with techniques that are thousands of years old. The weavers are motivated to use the backstrap loom with natural cotton, natural dyes and high quality thread

To recover, value, preserve, investigate and divulge to the entire country and to the world the cultural and aesthetic value of Mayan art. This is accomplished through the promotion of Guatemalan Mayan handicraft textiles in the national and international markets.

To serve as a center for  training and formation for the professionalization of Mayan weavers in such areas as quality, marketing, price control and the matters related to their social, cultural and economic problems.

purses, scarves, trays, napkins, cosmetic bags, leather bags, cloth checkbook holders, pad holders, key chains, wallets, etc.

The weavers make the textiles by using backstrap looms. These have several wooden sticks, each with a different function. A technique called brocade is used, with roots that go back thousands of years:

colored threads cross each row of weaving, until they form geometric, floral, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, depending on the local traditions of each community.

Address:

MUSEO IXCHEL
Monday to friday, de 9:00 A 17:00 Hours
6a. calle Final, zona 10
Centro Cultural UFM
Ciudad de Guatemala
Telefono: (502) 2361-8083, 2361-8084, 2331-3638

MERCADO DE ARTESANIAS
Monday to sunday, of 9:30 A 17:00 Hours
6a calle 10-95, zona 13 Boulevard a el Aeropuerto
Telefono: (502) 2471-0676

www.textilesproteje.com
info@textilesproteje.com