Maguey Journey: Discovering Textiles in Guatemala

11.Maguey Products and Their Uses

Lazo Lazo or soga (rope) comes in all lengths and thicknesses. Cordeles or gusano de pino (pine worm) is a loosely spun length of maguey with inserted pine needles, used for decoration. Maguey rope is used for many things, such as being woven into beds (Wisdom 1940, 134) and, when finely spun, as strands for necklaces (Wisdom 1940, 37). Red The red is a round “cargo net” made to hold medium-sized objects and is the most common looped bag found nationwide. Redes can be used alone or around a large basket to contain the contents (photo essay fig. 11). Redes are made in different sizes with a variety of loop sizes depending on the intended use. For example, a red made for holding pottery has bigger loops than one for mangoes. Small Bags Small bags are a standard man’s accessory, because men’s traje does not have pockets. objects inside of the bag are often wrapped in cloth. While this important accessory is usually associated with men, in a few areas women use them, too, although women mostly transport items wrapped in a woven cloth that is placed on top of their heads. As with other aspects of traje, specific bag styles, sizes, materials, techniques, colors, and patterns can be traced to different municipalities (see appendix 1). Household items 11 Maguey Products and Their Uses Maguey Products and Their Uses 109 are often stored in small bags, which hang from rafters and nails in many homes. The following are the different varieties found in Guatemala. Morral The morral is a small, square, plain or striped, tightly looped bag. In Concepci ón Tutuapa this bag is called a sivadera. It is usually worn with the strap over one shoulder or across the chest. Bolsa The bolsa is loom-woven. Bolsa de mania is the eastern term for these bags. Special loom-woven bags made in olopa are glincas (round bags) and caristas (rectangular bags). Sembrador is a term used in San Juan Sacatepéquez for a small loom-woven bag for holding corn kernels during planting (photo essay fig. 12). Matate The matate is an open, stretchy, square, loose, looped bag. It is worn with the shoulder strap across the forehead, much like a mecapal, with the bag resting on the person’s back. Mostly worn by men, o’Neale observed women in Cobán wearing bags in this style (1945, 182). Cachelpa is the term used in Concepción Tutuapa for matate. In San Andrés Huista, matates are linked. Alforja The alforja, or saddlebag (also arganilla [eastern term] and argana), is sometimes called a double bag. Alforjas are used on a horse or worn over the shoulder with one bag in front and the other in back. Saddlebags are always loom-woven. Costal Costales are large sacks made to hold small to medium loose items such as coffee or corn; they are woven on treadle looms. Mecapal The mecapal (tumpline) is a band that is three inches wide and twelve inches long. It is placed across the forehead and a rope attached to both 110 THE MAGUEY To TEXTILE TRANSFoRMATIoN sides of the mecapal is tied to cargo, which rests on the person’s back. Men are able to carry very heavy loads using mecapales. osborne called them “an article of dress and a man’s prized possession” (1965, 134). Reina stated that they are “a symbol of strength and economic reliability to the Poqomám” (1969, 111). In the words of Feldman from his book A Tumpline Economy, “the load of trade rested on the shoulders of the porter, which is how items were transported on well-defined trade routes” (1985, 13–15). The same item is used for the strap that goes around the weaver’s back for backstrap weaving. Horse and Mule Gear This gear includes gamarrónes (eastern term for halters) or jáquimas (western term for halters), tenedores (cruppers), cintas (cinches), and enjalmas (pads) (fig. 11.1). Gamarrónes and tenedores are made using the technique of plysplit darning, whereas cintas and enjalmas are loom-woven. o’Neale shows an example of a cinta constructed with spun maguey strands held in place by twined colored threads (1945, fig. 61); I did not see these. Figure 11.1 Mule with cinta and gamarrón, Concepción Tutuapa, San Marcos. Maguey Products and Their Uses 111 Bombas Bombas (fireworks or other pyrotechnics...