Global Village Museum Showcases Handmade Huipiles
Handmade huipiles by skilled women artisans in Guatemala will be on display beginning Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures. The Hall Gallery debut of the Master Weavers Collection is from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and will include refreshments and a communal activity.
“Huipiles are a key part of traditional Guatemalan clothing and are integral to the identity of the indigenous Maya of the region,” says Lydia Rueger Shoaf, content & press associate for Friendship Bridge. “Come learn the historical and cultural importance of the huipil, a traditional garment worn by women from central Mexico to Central America.”
Candelaria, an artisan from Guatemala, holds a traditional Guatemalan blouse known as the Tzoloj Ya’ huipil.
Friendship Bridge is a Colorado-based organization in Lakewood that offers small loans to low-income women in Guatemala. The exhibited huipiles were woven and embroidered by Guatemalan women who are clients of the nonprofit, which also offers programs that teach business skills to the artisans so they can achieve a more stable financial future.
Ten huipiles will be exhibited, and each artisan lives in the region of Guatemala that their huipil represents. Purchases of similar huipiles and other handmade Guatemalan gift items are available at friendshipbridge.org. The Museum’s gift shop will also have handcrafted Guatemalan items for sale.
The public is invited to the grand opening, and attendees are asked to RSVP under “events” on the Friendship Bridge website. Museum admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, $1 for ages 4-15 and free for children 3 and under. The exhibit runs through Feb. 22, 2024.
The Global Village Museum is located at 200 W. Mountain Ave., and Museum hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Adult tours receive discounted admission of $3 per person. For more information and closure dates during the change of exhibits, visit globalvillagemuseum.org or call 970.221.4600.