weavingwomensanjuan.org - History/Historia

The Association started with Mrs. Teresa Ujpán, who was the head founder of weaving women who fight for development of their families. For seven years the association undertook work weaving traditional Mayan clothing.

Beginning at its fifteenth year it began to weave serape, table cloths, beds covers, and traditional güipiles, selling and marketing them in the municipality of Panajachel. In 1990 the idea arose to form an association that helps the weaving women of its municipality. This project was started, uniting only nine women who made into a reality an association of weaving women called: Ixoq´ aj Queem. However, it did not become a legally recognized (until later). With the experience of nine women headed by Doña Teresa Ujpan Perez, they created exemplary designs in both natural dyes and with chemicals, and creating their own artisan products.

The nine women reached an agreement to form its own board of directors that coordinated the group work of its association, and chose two women in charge of marketing the products created through traditional loom. They were also in charge of contacting diverse clients. From that time profit increased in Panajachel and Antigua.

In 2006 the association received legal recognition with 25 women members and the same board of directors. They agreed to rename the association Ixoqí aj Quema´, which it holds to this day.

Why was the association created?
The association was created so that the women who have mastered the art weaving can market their products. This supports the association’s purpose of contributing to the improvement of the lives of their family members, since almost all the women have very little education, with which they could not yield a fixed wage. However with the creation of the association it becomes possible to market and sell the products, and thus the woman can contribute and give a good education to her children and live a stable life has. The association strives to give a better future to the children, young people, and
families of the women by giving them the opportunity to market their products in diverse places, as suggests its motto, “A Better Tomorrow.”

Years ago the association considered renting or buying a place where the women can be visited by tourists, this dream was realized in 2011. This rented space serves to supply a market of the women´s products, generating work and supporting the education for the women´s children. The dream and effort of Teresa Ujpán has become a reality, and now with joy we request your support to support our cause.