New Maya Language

It is our Day of the Dead tradition to honor Latin American historical figures. In previous years we have honored La Llorona, La China Poblana, La Catrina, among others, and this year we have chosen three women that represent the history and leadership of their cultures. This year we are honoring Salomé Ureña (Dominican Republic), La Mulata de Córdoba (Mexico), and Palla Chimpu Ocllo or Isabel Suárez Chimpu Ocllo (Peru). 

Scholar and writer Xanath Caraza, and Frida Larios and Manuel ‘Ché’ León from Indigenous Design Collective have joined us to commemorate these emblematic figures. We asked Indigenous Design Collective to share their thoughts about their creative process during this project inspired by Caraza’s poems. 

“The three women, healers, and leaders hold their hands and rise in their indigenous light. On the left: the light of the Cempasúchil flower guiding our ancestors to the underworld gateway. In the middle the Inti: the strength of the Inka sun in our blood. On the right: four linked hearts, a symbol of agreement in Ghanian peoples mourning garments. Together, the three women unite in diversity to form a woven fabric: an unbreakable continuous pattern. We use textile and cultural visual language to illustrate the cultural essence and history of these notable women. LatinX and indigenous women in the US today are root to these same values, we must harvest our crop.” –Indigenous Design Collective, Frida Larios & Manuel (Che) León. 

Sun Princess/Princesa del Sol inspired by Palla Chimpu Ocllo or Isabel Suárez Chimpu Ocllo (Peru). 

“Sun Princess, in your womb you conceived a new race. Within your forebear, love for your culture On his forehead, you tattooed gold. From Inti, strength in your bloodline”

Mother of the Lands/Madre de las Tierras inspired by Salomé Ureña (Dominican Republic)

“From your heart, letters grow, nature poet from the mountains of Quisqueya”

Dressed in Marigolds/Vestida de Cempasúchiles inspired by La Mulata de Córdoba (Mexico)

“Dressed in marigolds, your scent lingers along pathways shrouded in pearly fog.”

Watch the beautiful creative process of “Maíz Flor Serpiente/Maize Flower Serpent” a Smithsonian Latino Center commissioned digital piece from ‪#‎IndigenousDesignCollective‬: composed of Frida Larios and Manuel León. Visit the UTEP-LVM placita in ‪#‎Secondlife‬ to see the beautiful mural.http://bit.ly/1WeTmAi

“Every morning, you don your white huipil, iridescent embroidering on cotton, printed symbol of the plumed serpent, evolution. Black tresses floating in the air, tangling with the threads of the voice of Ehécatl, God of Wind… LET THE MAIZE DANCES BEGIN.” Xanath Caraza, ‪#‎Weaver‬ of Words. ========================= “Blanco huipil vistes cada mañana, iridiscentes bordados en el algodón y estampado el símbolo de la serpiente emplumada, la evolución. Negra cabellera flota en el aire, se enreda con los hilos de la voz de Ehécatl, Dios del Viento… Que comiencen las danzas del maíz…” Xanath Caraza, Tejedora de Palabras.

Macuilxochitzin cultural character inspired poem in collaboration with Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum‪#‎lvmdayofdead‬ ‪#‎lvmcelebracion‬ and Mouthfeel Press.

In dedication to our ancestors.

Join us October 31, 2015 for the unveiling of Maíz Flor Serpiente/Maize Flower Serpent. Frida Larios and Manuel León from Indigenous Design Collective will show the final mural and talk about the creative process interpreting Macuilxochitzin. 

Maíz Flor Serpiente/Maize Flower, a Smithsonian Latino Center commissioned digital piece from the Indigenous Design Collective. Work based on the 2015 Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum Day of the Dead Festival cultural identity character, Macuilxochitzin. 

About Indigenous Design Collective and Maíz Flor Serpiente/Maize Flower Serpent

We are designers interpreting our cultural heritage through typo-graphy and art. Our collective aims to make Maya hieroglyphs and Indigenous art (not only Maya,) more accessible to the public, both children and adults, by applying them to different visual media.

We have chosen to illustrate the texture of a huipil to represent Macuilxochitzin; we find inspiring the fact that the art of backstrap weaving is still taught to the girls in Mesoamerica just as it was done with the princess back in the days.

“Every morning, you don your white huipil, iridescent embroidering on cotton, printed symbol of the plumed serpent, evolution. Black tresses floating in the air, tangling with the threads of the voice of Ehécatl, God of Wind.” Xanath Caraza, Weaver of Words.

In our iconographic process we first created a pattern based on the symbology of her name, Macuilxochitzin, which means: 5 Flower. The feathered serpent enters the composition as a vision embroidered on Macuilxochitzin’s huipil. When you look at the design in detail you will find that the feathers around the serpent are gracious maize leaves (“milpa”) and that the serpent’s scales also incorporate her flowers’ petals.

“We have chosen to illustrate the texture of a huipil to represent Macuilxochitzin; we find inspiring the fact that the art of backstrap weaving is still taught to the girls in Mesoamerica just as it was done with the princess back in the days…”

Frida Larios & Manuel León

Follow the creative process of Frida Larios and Manuel León, as they visually interpret our LVM Day of the Dead cultural figure, Macuilxochitzin. They would reveal their final piece during the  Dead Poets Virtual Reading & Open Mic Hosted by Mouthfeel Press. Join us this Saturday, Oct.31, 9:30 pm EST at the UTEP Second Life island-LVM Placita-Sin Fronteras Café.