In Maya Mam communities, weaving is not simply a skill—it is a living practice. Knowledge is passed hand to hand, thread by thread, carrying memory, identity, and care across generations.
This winter and early spring, Union Maya, a community organization founded and led by Indigenous Maya Mam leaders, invites the Oakland community into that tradition through a six-week Mayan backstrap weaving group. With support from California Humanities and in partnership with the Oakland Public Library 81st Avenue Branch, these free workshops create space for learning rooted in culture and community.
Meeting on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (January 17 & 31, February 14 & 28, and March 14 & 28), participants of all ages will gather at the 81st Avenue Library to learn directly from expert Maya weavers. Together, they will explore the fundamentals of traditional backstrap weaving, observe ancestral techniques, and engage in a shared creative process that values patience, observation, and collective learning.
The workshops will be conducted primarily in Maya Mam, with Spanish language support, honoring Indigenous language as a vital part of cultural transmission. English-language interpretation will also be available through trained, English-speaking interns. In this welcoming, accessible community space, weaving becomes more than making textiles—it becomes an act of storytelling, cultural continuity, and connection.
Supported by a California Humanities Quick Grant, this project reflects how the humanities are lived in everyday practices—how history, language, and creativity come together to strengthen community and keep traditions alive.
