Cojolya

Guatemala

Cojolya is an association dedicated to the conservation of the Maya tradition of backstrap loom weaving as well as the customs and traditions that surround it. The association's goal is to have these practices viewed not as a historical relic, but as an economically viable source of employment for woman weavers. Cojolya is located in Santiago Atitlan, the site of a state sponsored massacre in 1991 during the Guatemalan civil war, and home to one of the largest intact indigenous communities in the world. They have monthly development workshops that provide training to their artisans in topics such as new weaving techniques, entrepreneurship, personal finance, production quality and more. They also distribute cookstoves to residents of Santiago Atitlan and neighboring communities.

Artisan Voices

"I thank god we have people who help us sell our products because in the association they pay us well and it’s not just that, it’s great to have the support of all the artisans. It changes things for our families because now we can send our kids to school and sometimes we can even have some savings. My experience and my wisdom I owe to Cojolya"
— Maria Sosof Ixbalan