Welcome to the Ex-Official Blog of Writer, Presenter & Crafts Expert Momtaz Begum-Hossain which stopped being active on 31st August 2016.

For more regular updates follow Momtaz on Twitter: @TheCraftCafe Instagram: @The_CraftCafe Vine: @TheCraftCafe Periscope: @TheCraftCafe Snapchat: Momtazbh

For workshop bookings, writing commissions, presenting jobs, craft project designs, or any kind of enquiry email contact@momtazbh.co.uk

Momtaz's NEW BLOG is www.craftandtravel.com








Sunday 10 April 2016

Visiting The Craft Markets of Chichi, Guatemala (Chichicastenango)




I recently embarked on an adventure through Central America where I called in on Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala. Although I was excited about all of my destinations, it was the last country on the list that I  couldn't wait to visit. I have long been a fan of colourful Guatemalan crafts, so when I heard Central America's biggest craft market takes place there, visiting it was on top of my vacation wish list. 

The market takes place on Thursdays and Sundays at Chichicastenango (know as ChiChi or Santa Thomas). The area has a strong Mayan heritage reflected by its population. Trade begins at dawn and as well as crafts, there is produce, livestock and flowers. But it was the crafts I came for, and I wasn't disappointed. 

Here are some photos I took of Chichi market to give you a flavour of what a kaleidoscope of colour it is.

Mayan women are so colourful and the market is flooded with stalls that sell traditional clothing, all made from colourful fabrics and embroideries.
Purses - the main gift I brought back for friends as they were small enough to fit in my backpack without adding additional weight. 
Top hats!
Belts are a key accessory for Mayan women 
A typical stall
Another typical stall - filled with colour and gorgeous things
Shawls - my one colour shawl that I brought from home paled in comparison to what women all around me were wearing
Well you can't have a market without handbags!
Womenswear - tops are all one size and get fitted after
More belts - so hard to pick which to buy!
Yet more belts but with a different look
I didn't realise beading was a Guatemalan craft but there were beaded creations everywhere...
...including these pen covers
Traditional Mayan womenswear - I also noticed that all female sellers had these lace aprons

Some stands were on the streets in tables, others inside a covered area and some were simply up alleyways laid out on the floor

If you want to make your own clothes or textiles from scratch, there was plenty of colourful fabric to purchase
Stripes were very popular!
As well as countless stores selling beautifully embroidered fashion, homeware and accessories there were also stalls selling embroidery floss - in every colour imaginable
At this stand dyed floss and yarns were sold by the weight
Shopping is thirsty work and there are plenty of places to enjoy a refreshment stop
The market is like a maze but this church surrounded by flower sellers is in the middle and it helps you find your way when you get lost among the hustle and bustle
If you do make it to the outskirts of the market the rest of the town is rather beautiful


Even the graveyards are spectacularly colourful
Locals queuing for the buses

The market was an incredible experience. I went on Sunday and it was such a colourful, vibrant and interesting place. However it's not so rare to find what was on sale. Guatemala is filled with crafts markets wherever you go and one thing I discovered was that at Chichi items were more expensive than other local markets and surprisingly, very few sellers were open to bargaining. Most came up with ridiculous figures they wouldn't budge on, but if you go to the quieter parts there are some amazing offers to be had. 


At the end of the this post I have listed some advice for surviving Chichi, but I also wanted to mention that not all crafts in Guatemela (i.e. the one's I photographed here) have a rainbow coloured and embroidered feel. 

I also visited a fair-trade community weaving project located on the lakes and these handwoven items were completely different to anything I found in the market. Cojolya has a fascinating gallery that explains the significance of weaving in Mayan life - I loved this Mayan belief:

'God spun the sky and drew out time like the thread weavers spin to weave cloth.'


The centre arranges weaving lessons and tours and can tell you who made every item that is for sale


As much as I loved Chichi, the best place I went shopping in Guatemala was in the colonial town of Antigua. Such a beautiful place. It's also home to a huge shopping fair-trade department store which feels like an art gallery called 'Nim Po't, filled with handmade items, but again with a community, co-operative feel. 


There is wall upon wall of masks
I wanted this rocking horse so much!
Gorgeous handprinted chair which I would have bought if I could have carried it home on the plane
Artisans are able to bring there stock into the shop and have it sold, and it's the biggest collection on Mayan crafts for sale in the world. The shop is epic, save at least an hour to rummage through it all. Prices are fixed but exceptional value. 


A taste of Antigua
If you're ever in Antigua I urge you to visit -you'll get lost in Nim Po't's world of wonders; thankfully there are sofas to sit down and take a breather in when the shopping becomes to overwhelming. 



If you're planning to visit Chichicastenango (which I recommend!) then here's my advice:

Getting there:
I boarded a direct bus from Antigua which left at 4pm on Saturday (picked me up from my accommodation) and then arrived at Chichi at 7pm. 

However I had to speak to several travel and tourist shops in order to book that bus. The main way tourists get to Chichi is the 7am bus on market days, it leaves at 7am, arrives at Chichi 10am and leaves around 2.30pm. This truly is a tourist bus packed with foreigners weighed down by cameras. As soon as it hits 10.30am the market is swarming with these visitors and their tour guides - most companies want you to take this bus but don't listen. 

Keep asking until you do find a bus going the night before so you can set off at dawn when it opens so by the time the other tourists arrive, you've already seen the market, got to understand how it works and know where everything is, so you can shop stress-freely. 

Staying there:
The guidebook said it's vital you must book accommodation in advance as it gets busy. I found no private Air B&B accommodation, nothing on the usual online accommodation sites like Expedia, Lastminute etc and general Googling also didn't throw up many options. The I came across a place called Hotel Giron and it was perfect. I phoned up and reserved accommodation - it was basic but located right in the heart of the market which has so many benefits, like when I needed a break, I came back and could put my shopping down. Accommodation was no where near as full as expected and I wonder if it's a scare story making tourists come on that morning tourist bus.

Prices:
Generally prices were premium but still so much cheaper than if the items were bought in a UK store. As I mentioned bargaining isn't favoured on stalls, but there are aways to shop cheaper and it's down to who you shop from. Stalls in quieter parts of the market have such good prices there's no need to bargain - I recommend hunting those out. 

Also there are many informal sellers, women who simply walk around selling their wares - they are all up for bargaining so if you see one, don't run away, chat to them and if you see something you like, bargain until you're happy.

Length of time: 
1/2  a day is sufficient and in that time you'll be able to go around the whole market and have time to go back and find your faves to attempt some bargaining!

Finding it all too much?
Don't be afraid to take a break, walk away from the market to the quieter outskirts, or book a tour guide to help you navigate your way through the markets. 

So there's my memories and advice about Chichi, if you have an appreciation for crafts than visiting is essential, and if you simply want to immerse yourself in the Mayan community then hang out and people watch.

Here are a few more snaps taken in Guatemala...


Morning walk around Antigua
Antigua from above, the town is laid out like a grid system

After Chichi I travelled by chicken bus through hilly terrain to the lakes
Chicken buses are public transport and are old American school buses, they are used all over Central America

Aaah, the memories!



38 comments:

  1. Samsung s9 is full with advanced technology. Know all advanced Samsung galaxy S9.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for this wonderful post. The information in this article is very helpful to me. Thanks a lot for sharing. Keep blogging.
    Interest Waypoint
    For truth or dare questions for guys over text
    Best Truth or Dare Questions for Married Couples

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have read your article, it is very informative and helpful for me.I admire the valuable information you offer in your articles. Thanks for posting it.

    Myntra Cashback offers
    Myntra Bank offers

    ReplyDelete

  4. credit card cash back offer on flipkart,
    credit card cashback on flipkart,
    credit card deals on flipkart,
    credit card discount on flipkart,
    credit card holder flipkart,
    credit card offers on mobiles in flipkart,
    debit card offers flipkart,
    discount coupon for flipkart for mobile,
    discount coupon for mobile on flipkart,
    discount coupons for flipkart on electronics,
    discount offer in flipkart,
    discount on flipkart using credit card,
    discount on flipkart using debit card,
    discount on mobiles flipkart,
    discount on sbi card on flipkart,
    discount sale on flipkart,
    diwali offer mobile flipkart,
    diwali offers flipkart,
    emi on sbi debit card flipkart,
    extra 10 off on flipkart,
    flip flipkart,
    flip phones flipkart,
    flipcart bank offers,
    flipcart promo code,
    flipkart 10 cashback axis bank,
    flipkart 10 cashback citibank,
    flipkart 10 cashback hdfc,
    flipkart 10 cashback offer,
    flipkart 10 cashback sbi debit card,
    flipkart 10 discount,
    flipkart 10 discount on mobiles,
    flipkart 10 discount on sbi card,
    flipkart 10 off,
    flipkart 10 off coupon,
    flipkart 10 off coupon code,
    flipkart 10 off on hdfc credit card,
    flipkart 10 off on mobiles,
    flipkart 10 off on sbi,
    flipkart 10 percent cash back,
    flipkart 10 percent off,
    flipkart 10 sbi offer,
    flipkart 15 august offers,
    flipkart 15 cashback offer,
    flipkart 5 cash back,
    flipkart 5 cash back offer,
    flipkart 5 off on credit cards,
    flipkart 50 off coupon,
    flipkart 50 off on mobiles,
    flipkart accessories,
    flipkart air conditioner,
    flipkart all mobile,
    flipkart all mobile offer,
    flipkart all mobile phone,
    flipkart amazing offers,
    flipkart american express card offer,
    flipkart amex card offer,
    flipkart and citibank offer,
    flipkart and credit card offers,
    flipkart and hdfc,
    flipkart and hdfc credit card offer,
    flipkart and hdfc offer,
    flipkart and sbi card offer,
    flipkart and sbi debit card offer,
    flipkart and sbi offer,
    flipkart android,
    flipkart android mobile offers,
    flipkart android mobiles,
    flipkart android phone,
    flipkart any offer
    flipkart any offer today

    ReplyDelete
  5. Its my pleasure to read your article, this is so nice.budget hotel in suhkumvit

    ReplyDelete

  6. Flipkart CashBack Offers,telugu bloggers ,telugu websites

    Flipkart CashBack Offers - SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Citibank Cards,flipkart sbi debit card emi,flipkart upcoming offers on mobiles,flipkart credit card,flipkart cashback phonepe,flipkart credit card generator,flipkart cashback offer phonepe,flipkart american express,india fake debit card generator,flipkart american express gift card,sbi credit card offers on flipkart today,sbi flipkart offer,sbi debit card offers cash back,sbi flipkart offer 2018,,telugu bloggers ,telugu websites


    Offers.Flipkart .

    flipkart bank offers,flipkart cash back coupons, flipkart offers,flipkart cashback offers ,flipkart cashback offers,flipkart cash back offers,flipkart cashback coupons,flipkart cashback,Flipkart Cashback Offers,Flipkart Bank Offers, flipkart upcoming offers on mobiles, flipkart hdfc offer, flipkart icici offer,sbi credit card offers on flipkart today,sbi flipkart offer, hdfc credit card offers on flipkart, flipkart upcoming offers on mobiles, flipkart offers


    flipkart today deal offer,flipkart todays deal,flipkart best offer today,flipkart cashback offer today,flipkart mobile app offers today,flipkart mobile deals today

    "Flipkart Cashback Offers || Flipkart Bank Offers || Flipkart Deals 2018 ||" "flipkart upcoming offers on mobiles, hdfc credit card offers on flipkart 2018, sbi credit card offers on flipkart today, flipkart hdfc offer terms and conditions, sbi flipkart offer 2018, flipkart cashback phonepe, flipkart hdfc offer august 2018, flipkart icici offers

    Flipkart CashBack Offers July 2018 - SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Citibank Cards,Cashback Offers Coupons,

    Today Special deals offers,

    Flipkart 2018 deals,

    Flipkart Today offers


    Flipkart CashBack Offers June 2018 - SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Citibank Cards

    Best of Home Furnishing min 40% off:

    flipkart Mobile Accessories,flipkart Storage devices,flipkart Brands at best prices,flipkart Top Offers,flipkart Fashion for Travel Lovers,FLIPKART Great Offers On Furniture,FLIPKART Discounts for You,flipkart Deals of the Day


    flipkart axis cashback offer,

    flipkart discount coupon codes, flipkartcashbackoffers

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great post. Very useful information. Thanks for sharing.
    Tips to Earn Money at Home Online

    ReplyDelete
  8. I surprise, very nice blog. Thanks for sharing.
    106snowscoot
    roguetemple

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cryptocurrency adalah media pertukaran yang digital, terenkripsi dan terdesentralisasi. Tidak seperti Dolar AS atau Euro, tidak ada otoritas pusat yang mengelola dan mempertahankan nilai mata uang kripto. Sebaliknya, tugas-tugas ini didistribusikan secara luas di antara pengguna mata uang kripto melalui internet., cek juga xlm to idr dan markets ada pasar saham lain di seluruh dunia termasuk Bursa Efek London, serta Jepang, Hong Kong, Shanghai, India, Australia dan berbagai lokasi di seluruh Uni Eropa.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Good. I am really impressed with your writing talents and also with the layout on your weblog. Appreciate, Is this a paid subject matter or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice quality writing, it is rare to peer a nice weblog like this one nowadays. Thank you, check also virtual edge and thanks for attending the meeting

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fark yedeklemesi, son tam yedeklemenin üzerine eklenen ve o zamandan beri değişen verilerin yedeklenmesidir. Bu yöntem, tam yedeklemeye kıyasla daha hızlıdır ve daha az depolama alanı gerektirir. Ancak, veri kurtarma süreci daha karmaşık olabilir, çünkü önce son tam yedekleme geri yüklenmeli ve ardından fark yedeklemeleri uygulanmalıdır........Backup & Recovery
    Gezginler

    ReplyDelete
  12. https://aryancrack.com/category/graphic-design-software/
    Graphic Design Software

    ReplyDelete
  13. The community engagement here is great.
    best sex videos

    ReplyDelete