Headwrap (xk'ap)

For generations, women of Santiago Atitlán have wound long, narrow, red bands around their heads to create a distinctive halo effect. The band forming the xk'ap can measure over 40 feet long and is said to represent the Rainbow Serpent. The Rainbow Serpent is equated with a spectacular natural phenomenon - the ethereal cosmic halo that sometimes encircles the moon on rainy nights. Over the past thirty years, the spectrum of colors in both domestic and imported yarn has expanded. A weaver's aesthetic sense is judged according to the combination of colors she chooses. Weavers confer with each other about what colors to use, guided by individual choice and village tradition. Thus the kaleidoscopic presentation of color seen here conveys the weaver's design skill as well as her social status. Her personal wealth is displayed in the many colors of yarn procured for this project.