How the leader of Belize’s first all-female cooperative is keeping Maya traditions alive

Timotea Mesh has made it her life's work to empower the women and children in her local community of San Antonio, Belize. With the help of nine other Maya women, Timotea set up the San Antonio Women’s Cooperative to find a way to earn an income, learn new skills and share their traditional knowledge with visitors and the younger generation.

Hugging the border with Guatemala, in the westernmost district of Cayo, San Antonio is one such village where Maya influences and ancient traditions can still be felt. Nestled within a verdant valley ringed by mountains, fertile lands and an abundance of flora and fauna, San Antonio was first inhabited by the Yucatec Maya in 1842, who arrived in search of sanctuary, and is now home to 3,500 people, making it the largest Maya community in the country.

It was through reading that Timotea learned about traditional Maya arts and crafts such as embroidery, pottery and cooking — many of which have been practiced by her ancestors for centuries. “Except for our local language and working the farm, my mother never taught me these traditions. I’ve never fully understood what it means to be a Maya woman, but I finally realise how unique our culture is. It’s part of my identity; it’s what makes me special.”Please be respectful of copyright.

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