With a population of 62,526, Quezaltenango is Guatemala’s second largest city, 50 percent are Maya. Before the Spanish Conquest, the city was called Xelajo, Quiché for “under the ten hills.” After conquest in the early sixteenth centurey, Alverado’s mercenaries from Mexico renamed the city “place of the Quetzal.” The city is located on the slope of an active volcano, which erupted in 1902 and caused the city to rebuild itself in near entirety.

Quezaltenango weavers produce five distinct styles of huipils. The two featured here are a ceremonial huipil for mass and a cofradia huipil.

The ceremonial huipil is worn over a dily huipil. During processions, the huipil is worn draped over the head like a veil, with the neck hole revealing only the wearer’s face, encircled by the floral pattern around the collar. Note the white brocade work on this huipil, as well as the figures of duck-like birds resting on trees or corn. These are typical motifs of the region, as are rosettes, horselike animals, and human figures holding hands.

The cofradia huipil is typical of this region with its predominance of purple quetzals and two wide vertical randas separating the garment panels. Note the elaborate collar with applied motifs of flowers and a wooly lamb.