ASODEEMI- Asociación de Mujeres Emprendedoras del área Ixil No´j
Background and objective
The Ixil are a Maya indigenous peoples living in the Quiché region of Guatemala, particularly in the Nebaj, Chajul and Cotzal municipalities. In the early eighties, during the Guatemalan civil war, the Ixil Community was one of the main targets of a genocide operation, involving systematic rape, forced displacements and hunger. Indigenous Ixil women still carry the burdens of 36 years of civil war. Today, many widows and single mothers are the sole breadwinners for their families. They struggle to provide basic needs for their children and heal from the war. Many women have come together as collective weaving groups to raise income and preserve their traditional heritage. For over two millennia, Maya Ixil weavings have been artistic expressions communicating layers of meanings both to indigenous peoples and to outsiders.
This project focuses on the dissemination and exchange of knowledge, experiences and cultural practices of Ixil women’s weavings. Through this project, indigenous Ixil women will become empowered by the creation and promotion of dialogue among elders and young women in order to exchange, learn and reflect about the meaning of traditional weavings, ways of production, history, and political struggles of their communities. Indigenous women will be trained using audiovisual methodologies.
Priorización de comunidades y cantones de los municipios de Nebaj, Chajul y Cotzal. Establecimiento del nivel de participación y liderazgo de las mujeres activas tejedoras. Documentación de actividades a través de fotografías y videos. Reuniones periódicas de fortalecimiento de los conocimientos y prácticas culturales con grupos de mujeres en los tres municipios. Documentación de la difusión de los conocimientos y prácticas culturales. Dos encuentros de intercambio de conocimientos y prácticas culturales a nivel nacional con grupos de mujeres de las etnias Q’q’chi’ y Tz’utujil. Plan de tres capacitaciones en temas de participación ciudadana e incidencia política. Participación masiva de grupos de mujeres de los tres municipios en las conmemoraciones del día internacional de la mujer.
Local partner information
The Asociación de Mujeres Emprendedoras del área Ixil para el Desarrollo Integral No´j works to promote the integral development of Ixil women, taking into consideration cultural, labor, social and economic aspects, to improve personal social conditions of life.
