Maya Traditions Journal > Artisan Spotlight: Catarina Flaviana Tambriz Carillo

Posted by on July 31, 2015 in , ,

Catarina Flaviana, 58, is one of our lovely and talented artisan partners from the cooperative Qato Q’ib in Chirijox, northwest of Lago Atitlán. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with her and talk about her life and work in the cooperative.

Catarina has raised eight children and is a proud gandmother to three little boys. Her two oldest daughters are married and now living with their husbands’ families. When she was only 12 years old, Catarina started to learn how to backstrap weave. Her mother, who today still practices the art of backstrap weaving, taught her all of the elements of the weaving process; starting first with the ‘liso’ technique and soon advancing to the ‘brocade’ technique. When her oldest daughter turned 15, Catarina started to teach her, just as her mom did. Her three other daughters followed soon after.

Partnering with Maya Traditions Foundation, Catarina is able to make an adequate income to support her family. Furthermore, her children receive educational scholarships to help offset the cost for the family. She is eager to facilitate a good education for her children – something that her parents unfortunately weren’t able to do for her.

“I am very thankful for the work that Maya Traditions provides me and the other women in our cooperative. I can practice my passion of weaving and through that, ensure that my children have a good education.”

Catarina

Member of the
World Fair Trade Organization