Ch’orti’ Artisans at Work: The Production of Handcrafted Goods in Eastern Guatemala

Abstract (English)

For generations, Ch’orti’ Mayas have skillfully manufactured handmade objects with plant fibers native to the lowlands of Central America, such as maguey, reed, and palm. The objects they make include baskets, handbags, hammocks, mats, brooms, dusters, bowls, pots, griddles, and more. The manufacturing of these goods is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Production takes place in the household and has a relatively low ecological footprint. Despite their historical importance, the production of handmade goods is changing rapidly. On the one hand, most artisans are abandoning their craft due to competition with mass-produced commodities, the loss of subsistence farming, and the impact of migration. On the other hand, some artisans have entrepreneurially diversified their products to appeal to a wider consumer market, producing new articles with innovative styles such as table runners, handbags, placemats, coasters, and more.

This presentation examines artisanal production, its incorporation into an informal and increasingly diversified rural economy, and the everyday lives of indigenous people who manufacture handmade goods to fulfill their role as providers in their household. My work is based on ten months of multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork in the Ch’orti’ Maya area, where I conducted interviews and participant observation among artisans. I ask how rapidly artisanal production is changing—including the relationships between producers, distributors, and consumers—and how Ch’orti’ Mayas are articulating their indigenous identifications in a new economic context. I argue that Ch’orti’ Maya artisans create the possibility of a viable and meaningful livelihood through the small-scale production of handmade goods. Though precarious, petty commodity production fosters the reinforcement of Ch’orti’ Maya identification.