Trama Blog

Most people would agree that life would be significantly more challenging, and not nearly as much fun, without the love and support of our family, friends and the people in our community. The notion that ‘no...

(Feature Image: Mayan cacao vessel, 7th-8th century. John L. Severance Fund / Wikimedia Commons) At a time where many of us are self-isolating due to the threat of COVID-19, encountering uncertainty and worr...

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Laura Pickerill one of our current volunteers, decided to interview each of the other volunteers to explore their views on the global feminist movement in 2020, to dis...

According to the article recently posted on Linkedin by Chris Herd -Founder & CEO @ Firstbase “Over 20 million people work remotely in the EU and USA today, up from 9 million a decade ago — that number ...

As you might know – or not -, there are approximately 7000 languages spoken around the world. And this number doesn’t include all the local dialects! However, as Guatemala demonstrates, these dialects can be...

Christmas is an important event all over the world and Guatemala is no exception! The main Christmas celebrations in Guatemala take place on the 24th November, Christmas Eve. And the central point of this ce...

I bet that any woman visiting Guatemala knows the daily struggle of keeping it together (or not) when being catcalled on the street. Although this misogynistic behavior can be annoying - and at times scary -...

The Accention of the Virgin Mary is a grandiose celebration that brings all the streets of Quetzaltenango’s historical center to life. You can find drawings on the ground in sumptuous col...

There is no way around a ride on a chicken bus in Guatemala. You might have heard of this transportation system before and have been wondering just like me: What on earth is a Chicken Bus? Well, they are par...

Cross-cultural conceptions of beauty, specifically feminine beauty, are fascinating and telling. For many women, like one Trama Textiles volunteer, visiting another culture always involves some amount (usually quite a bit!) on unique beautification rituals and practices of another country or culture. A volunteer reflects on her observations and learnings about the striking ways in which Guatemalan women adorn and wear their hair; how their hair-pieces and hairstyles are both an extension of their cultural heritage as well as a reflection of their female beauty. 

Mindfulness, emotional wellness, and meditation--the past few years have witnessed an explosive interest in improving our emotional and spiritual well-being. But did you know that weaving is scientifically proven to boost our happiness levels and allow us to access a meditative state? Read on to find out exactly how weaving can bring bliss into your life.

The ancient Mayan pantheon is expansive. I say 'is', rather than 'was', because for many communities in Guatemala, Mayan beliefs and ceremonial practices are still part of daily life, co-existing alongside the Catholicism that's now the state's primary religion. Active Mayan altars can be found all over the country, including at a number of ruin sites of ancient Mayan towns, like Iximche, near Tecpan.