And switching now, to a story of both tradition and modernity, there's a new garment brand launching in Belize tomorrow.
It's called XE'IL, a new take on Mayan geometrical embroidery that's soon to sweep the nation and the closets of women from PG to Corozal.
And today, a day designated as Indigenous People's day, we spoke to the Executive Director of SATTIM, Maya Choc, about the Mayan women behind this brand and how and how they're forging a living from self-expression. Here's that story.
Looking for a garment that's both Haute Couture and truly Belizean?
Well, there's a new garment brand on the market fitting just that description. It's a line of dresses embroidered with the Xokb'il Chuy, or counted stitches tradition. The designs depict motifs from Maya stories, such as the sun, moon, and animals or plants found in their environment.
Now, Belizean Mayan women are finding one more way to keep their culture alive and to hopefully make a sustainable living too.
Maya Choc, Executive Director, SATIIM
"Xe' Il, it means from our roots and it goes in line with our motto true to our roots, as we know the signature behind this brand is the Xokb'il Chuy embroidery which is a form of expression and it has been passed down from generation to generation, So when you think about Xe'il we are being true to our roots with practicing these hand stitches. It's not factory manufactured, it's not something made in China or even in a sweatshop. It's made by women hand sown by women."
And with lessons learned from the Pandemic Choc says the brand's target consumer is the local Belizean and maybe even the regional consumer.
Maya Choc, Executive Director, SATIIM
"We're looking at how can we create something that would appeal to other Mayan people and other people from the Belizean public, because we don't want to be too reliant on the tourism and waiting on them to buy our products, we want to create something that people want to buy, that you would want to wear and I would want to wear in my every day job or even to go out."
The goal is for the brand to be something current based in the traditional, Choc says that spirit is embodied by the makers, a cross section of middle aged to very young artisans being supported by their elders.
Maya Choc, Executive Director, SATIIM
"We have not found any way for indigenous people on a whole to benefit from this, but here we have an opportunity to create opportunities for our women, our indigenous women who are the most marginalize in our society and its creating economic opportunity for them. No longer, we hope that they wouldn't have to be walking the beach of placencia trying to sell something to a tourist. We want them to be secure at home creating their Xokb'il Chuy and we transform it into clothing piece that people would want to buy and they are able to develop themselves further. That's the idea behind the brand and all the proceeds that this brand creates, it would go back into developing the industry and we are starting with clothing, but we are hoping that we expand, to where baskets, to the koshtal bags, whatever it is that the women they create and not just the women too but other sectors of our group, whether it's the carving with the men. These are all the things that we want to put in there and it's all about empowerment for indigenous people and our women particularly with this project."
Xi'el officially launches tomorrow with four original designs.
Xe'il will be accessible from its Facebook and Instagram page. Starting tomorrow the garments will be available to be shipped countrywide.
