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Domingo Reanda
"Our indigenous culture is characterized by the spirit of art. Everything comes from our ancestors and our beautiful country; each region is represented with crafts and beautiful colors.<br><br>
“My name is Domingo Reanda Xum. I was born in Santiago Atitlan, Solola in 1971. I grew up in a family of farmers, and my parents taught me since I was 7 years old. In the afternoons, after school, I dedicated myself to the family trade. At the age of 13 I became interested in learning to use the loom, since I was very interested in weaving and I wanted to have a greater source of income. I learned to make stoles; it was the first thing I did. It's a type of craft in which many figures can be captured and I can make my own designs. As a child I also made bracelets in the macrame technique that I learned on my own. <br><br>
“After completing sixth grade, I migrated to the capital city in search of better opportunities. Being in the city, my adolescence was very hard, since I had to sleep in the corridors of shops. I got a job in a market, but the treatment was very bad. They made me do hard jobs for my age and they treated me very badly, so I decided to leave the job. <br><br>
“In 1995 I began to make items with beads. Everything was originated as an aid and a source of work for widowed women of the armed conflict. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves to making necklaces, bags, bracelets and hooks, among others. Currently I work with my family, and communication is essential to do a job well done. We use tools such as looms, belts, pliers, needles and thread, in addition to the raw materials, to make the products. I am inspired by humanity, in that each one has something special. Unifying all that and creating new products, merging it with nature and lived experiences makes me feel alive. <br><br>
“Establishing myself as an artisan alone has been a real challenge, since you have to establish yourself in a market of competition and quality. But there are companies like Novica, that do everything possible so that people have a decent life through handicraft, and that everything is recognized fairly. In addition, it motivates me to make each piece, because there is a very great satisfaction when listening to the opinions of the clients and the artisans themselves. The challenge I have is to obtain my own exclusive colors. I am trying to investigate how to make colors in glass, and to drill stones. <br><br>
“Thank you for the opportunity to become known through crafts. The piece that you acquire has a very significant history of artisan families.”
