Research Catalog

Title

Maguey journey : discovering textiles in Guatemala / Kathryn Rousso.

Author

Rousso, Kathryn.

Publication

Tucson : University of Arizona Press, c2010.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

xvi, 162 p. : ill. (some col.), map; 23 cm.

Summary

"The name maguey refers to various forms of the agave and furcraea genus, also sometimes called the century plant. The fibers extracted from the leaves of these plants are spun into fine cordage and worked with a variety of tools and techniques to create textiles, from net bags and hammocks to equestrian gear. In this fascinating book, Kathryn Rousso, an accomplished textile artist, takes a detailed look at the state of maguey culture, use, and trade in Guatemala. She has spent years traveling in Guatemala, highlighting maguey workers' interactions in many locations and blending historical and current facts to describe their environments. Along the way, Rousso has learned the process of turning a raw leaf into beautiful and useful textile products and how globalization and modernization are transforming the maguey trade in Guatemala. Featuring a section of full-color illustrations that follow the process from plant to weaving to product, Maguey Journey presents the story of this fiber over recent decades through the travels of an impassioned artist. Useful to cultural anthropologists, ethnobotanists, fiber artists, and interested travelers alike, this book offers a snapshot of how the industry stands now and seeks to honor those who keep the art alive in Guatemala."--Pub. desc.

Uniform Title

Project Muse UPCC books.

Subject

• Agaves > Guatemala
• Agaves > Utilization > Guatemala
• Hand weaving > Guatemala
• Indian textile fabrics > Guatemala
• Maya textile fabrics > Guatemala
• Textile fabrics > Guatemala

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

The land of Maguey. Guatemala ; People of Maguey ; The western highlands ; The central highlands ; East and north -- The maguey to textile transformation. Maguey : the material ; Fiber extraction ; Colors and patterns ; Spinning fibers into strands ; From strand to product ; Maguey products and their uses -- The gift of life. Maguey economics ; Maguey in transition ; Conclusion.

ISBN

• 9780816526987 (pbk. : alk. paper)
• 0816526982 (pbk. : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2010011678

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library