Panajachel is a tourist trap in many ways, so it's a great spot for locals to make some money selling handicrafts. And sometimes, if you are in a place for a longer period, you get a bit tired of being the stand-out target for pushy sales pitches. Their gratest weapon is the guilt that is harbered by most tourists, but the successful sales people understand that there is more to selling than just pushing somegthing in the face of a potential buyer.

On one night we were working online in the cafe and noticed a group of women with mounds of table cloths, scarves, dresses, and the like showing their wears to a bunch of tourist/missionary people from the southern US. I noticed right away, that the difference was that these people were more relaxed. They didn't seem as desperate to sell as the ones who come up with a pittiful look on their face and basically beg you to buy from them. The likelihood that they are in dire straits aside, guilt only gets you so many sales. These young women were joking and even spoke some broken English and the tourists were eating them up.

I went over and had a look and found a couple pieces I liked. I had already decided that I would only be able to spend a certain amount on what I found, with some joking and coaxing I managed to get the table cloth I had my eye on with a few little extras thrown in.

Then Dan and I began talking with the husband of one of the young women. He was minding their little son, while she finished packing up what had not been sold. Denis and Elana stand together in the photo above. Draped over Elana's shoulder is the colourful table cloth I bought from her. Eventually, we fell into a conversation with them about weaving and textiles, tourism, and how their whole family was involved in the same business. Eventually we asked if we could come and film them doing the traditional weaving. To which they were very open.



Above, two young girls in Denis' and Elana's family stand in the yard observing Dan and I as we set up cameras and take photos.


Above, an aunt minds one of the babies.



Above, Dan uses the medium format to caputre some images as Elana's mother, Juana shows us how they do small pieces. The loom is tied with ropes to a secure post to keep the weave taught while the shuttle is passed through the vertical strands.



For Dan, weaving is a great metephore for the SFD project. The diverse images we have recorded will soon be woven into a tapestry that will represent the continent. All the voices of people from various backgrounds will blend into a cohesive voice for all of us who inhabit this land.

Above a loom waits for action, resting on the finished product.



Above the unwoven strands of thread strung on the loom, close up.


Above, grandparents, Denis and Elana, and Juana wait patiently for us to get our cameras set for a timed shot.

It is not easy to make a living off crafts that are sold to touists, when tourism numbers fluctuate so often. This family seem to be doing well, but it is hard to say if this will keep up. And it is likely that not everyone is so fortuate.

Still, the products of these weavers are in demand. Many of the textiles produced by people like Denis and Elana are not only sold within Guatemala, but find there way to vendors in Mexico and elsewhere in Central America where they are also sold to tourists and passed off as "local" handywork!



We were so fortunate to have a window into the lives of this family. Gratitude.