Meet our instructors

All of our instructors are masters of their craft who proudly share their knowledge with patience and joy. 

Backstrap Weaving:

Doña Lidia has been teaching backstrap weaving nationally and internationally for several decades. She started when she was young, helping her mother with classes. She is a wealth of knowledge and a patient teacher with experience in English. Our online classes are taught by Doña Lidia, and we have also developed professional videos for intermediate and advanced brocade. <See these offers here>

 

Doña Everilda started teaching backstrap weaving with Kakaw in 2022 with increased class requests. When we saw the beautiful brocade she was teaching her daughter, Sucy (who helps us in the studio), we just knew she would be an excellent teacher! Doña Everilda has known Mari since "before she was born," as Mari likes to say, since the two families have been friends for multiple generations.

 

Doña Cristina is a master weaver from Santo Domingo Xenacoj. The style from her town is full of texturized brocade in the form of animals and natural motifs, created by picking up the warp threads one by one. She is proud to share that weaving paid her way through her university degree. During the week, she works as a social worker. Cristina teaches in Spanish and Kaqchikel.

 

Embroidery

Doña Claribel is our friend from Sumpango, a town known for beautiful traditional neckline embroidery full of flowers, volcanoes, and other motifs reminiscent of the town's famous Barriletes, the giant kites flown for All Saints' Day. She is also a master embroideress with so much experience sharing her textile tradition with those interested. You can just feel how she radiates with pride and joy as she talks about the different traditional motifs and stitches. It is wonderful to see her light up as she shares the art she holds so dear. We're sure you will love it, too! 

 

Pompom-making 

Edwin, whom everyone calls "Chato" is the master pompom-maker and friend. His patience and attention to detail are truly admirable... it's not as easy as you might think to make such chunky, beautiful pompoms! We're sure that you will enjoy making the colorful decorations by hand. This craft was a fun outlet for us during the pandemic.