Petrona Patishtan

"I was born in a Maya town in the highlands of Chiapas. For as long as I can remember, my grandmother Maria Patishtan was teaching me the lovely custom of weaving on the backstrap loom. <br><br> "In our town, we begin at an early age to do our part for the family by learning a handicraft and I learned from my grandmother. She was an extraordinary woman and warrior who showed me all the love and passion she had for weaving. <br><br> "At first, I helped my grandmother craft all her beautiful designs. She showed my how to spin the wool into threads. We'd take our work to the plaza to sell and my brother would come with us. <br><br> "Sharing my grandmother's struggle and her love for what she did was a beautiful experience. She always accompanied us and we supported one another with the strength of both of us together. <br><br> "Some of the tasks I was always involved in was dyeing the wool and weaving it, the process of carding the wool and giving it a similar color in each one of our designs. <br><br> "I try to make each one show something of our tradition, the plants and colors that characterize us as a region and as an ethnicity. <br><br> "Personally, I very much enjoy spending time with my family, and working hand in hand with Novica has let me do this with more closeness and with tranquility. <br><br> "Thanks to the knowledge my grandmother shared with me, I can transmit this art to other people at my young age. In this way, I can continue with the magic my grandmother created in me but add a part of my own essence."