Evocations and Textile Resistances in the Work of three Indigenous Women Writers

Abstract

The world of textiles is a complex web among indigenous peoples. This paper shows a part of it that can be traced in the writings of women belonging to indigenous communities. The analysis of these texts allows to unveil the textile possibilities within particular communities. The study reviews the collective work of the Mayan women of Kaqla, who use a textile language to articulate their own thinking. Then, it delves into the texts of three indigenous women writers: the Maya poet, Briceida Cuevas Cob; the Binnizá writer, Natalia Toledo; and the Ñuu Savi activist, Bety Cariño. Their work subverts the hierarchy between know-how and trades versus academic knowledge and artistic creations that prevails in the hegemonic Western culture. It also allows us to recognize the cultural resistance implicit in wearing the clothing characteristic of each community.