Mayan Worry Dolls in the Social and Cultural Fabric of Guatemala

Textiles have been an important part of the Mayan social fabric since the pre-classic period during which they were used by the elite to represent status and deity-like personifications. In modern-day Guatemala they are primarily used as garments; however, their use has also been extended to the thriving handicraft industry where they are used to adorn furniture, utensils, decorative objects, and, as per our subject of interest, worry dolls. The textiles seen in modern-day Guatemala have a long social history in Mayan communities, and play an important role in the social and cultural fabric of society.

The most prevalent textile in Maya society is a lightweight cotton garment known as huipil that is worn by Guatemalan women. It is generally made from white or brown cloth and is adorned using the brocade technique with colourful zigzagging patterns. Designs are specific to the home community of the person wearing the huipil, and it is possible to identify a woman’s tribe, community, and social status by observing the design of the huipil that she is wearing.

The huipil, while traditionally used as a garment, is often extended to the design of Mayan handicrafts in modern-day Guatemala. Worry dolls, as discussed, are adorned with huipil cloth of a variety of colours and designs, and as such it is possible to link authentic hand-made dolls (i.e., those not mass produced for tourist consumption) to the community in which they were produced.

So why worry dolls? Why the peculiarity of the name? Worry dolls are part of a long Mayan folk tradition centred around indigenous religious mysticism. The dolls a given to children who are plagued by nightmares or who are unable to fall asleep. A child to whom the doll is given is instructed to confess all of his worries to the doll, and as such the doll will take on the responsibility of removing all worries and fears from the child's head. Hence, the name of the dolls in Spanish: muñecas quitapenas; literally, 'dolls that take away worries.'

Object Historical Context: Mayan Cultural Continuity in Central America

Worry dolls are part of a long-standing tradition with a historical base in the Mayan cultures that have lived in modern-day Guatemala for millennia. Mayan civilizations have consistently inhabited Guatemala and the neighbouring regions that make up Central America since approximately the 10th century B.C., and have shown remarkable continuity in their culture and social practices.
Early Mayan civilization appeared during the pre-classic era around 2000 B.C., and was centred around what today includes the southern Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco, and the Yúcatan Peninsula, as well as Guatemala, Belize, and parts of El Salvador and Honduras. The Maya engaged in extensive commerce and communication with other indigenous groups throughout the Americas, and as such developed a highly advanced society that reached its peak between 250 and 900 A.D. They made numerous advances in mathematics, architecture, and the arts, and are particularly well known for their elaborate and ornate textiles that were, and continue to be, used for personal adornment, religious ceremony, and food storage. The arrival of the Spanish conquistadores to the region during the Spanish colonization of the Americas dealt a severe blow to Mayan society; however, the civilization was not eradicated, and Mayan culture continues to exist in modern day Central America, characterized by a distinctive set of traditional practices and beliefs.
Today the Central American nation of Guatemala is home to the majority of Mayan indigenous tribes who still maintain their own unique linguistic, cultural, and religious identities. Approximately 40% of the population of Guatemala belongs to one of the numerous Mayan tribes including the K'iche', Mam, and Q'ekchi, among others, while another 42% is characterized as ladino, or of mixed indigenous and European descent. Sadly, the Maya were the most affected by Guatemala's bloody 36-year civil war. The war was characterized by primarily government-led massacres that left over 200,000 people dead, 83% of which were ethnic Maya. Today the Maya occupy the lowest social class in Guatemalan society, and are subject to extreme poverty and discrimination. They are among the most marginalized of Guatemalan society; however, despite this, the Guatemalan government and ministry of tourism celebrates the nation's Mayan heritage through the display and production of arts and textiles styled after the Mayan tradition, and heralds the civilization as a representation of Guatemalan identity.