Candi (Cándida Jiménez Bojórquez) and her embroiderer's sisters recount the story of their family workshop in Maní, Yucatán, where they create blouses, dresses, hipiles, and suits. Their sewing machines have been loyal companions through generations of work, knowledge, and artistic creativity in textile art. They talk with their machines and can even have a minor disagreement when encountering malfunctions. Many women in Yucatán are close to their machines, sewing needles, looms, and artisan colleagues. They extend these connections throughout their community to ensure its well-being despite challenges in social, technological, and economic competitiveness.
Sandy, Teresita and Petronila live a few miles away from each other. But they now gather with many other Yucatán women artisans to enhance their financial skills and business management, and highlight the value of their work as intangible cultural heritage. Now, they are part of an innovative UNESCO project that is already achieving results.
Antonia Aracely Poot Poot, better known as "Sandy," is the head of her family and the owner of a small textile shop in the community of Dzitnup, in Valladolid. She shares how the project has transformed her perspective on textile work, emphasizing the cultural and economic significance of each embroidered stitch, and avoiding the undervaluing of her creations.
Each of our garments is unique, from the design of the flowers to the colour selection. As artisans, we express everything we are experiencing in that moment
While touching the colourful embroidery on her blouse, Sandy explains that this is a solid (macizo) machine embroidery and can take up to two days to complete. While other techniques by hand, like Xok Bi Chuy (cross-stitch in Maya), can take up to 3 to 6 months for a single garment.
The UNESCO project, sponsored by the Banorte Foundation and in collaboration with the Yucatán Ministry of Culture, identified a gap in earnings per product between municipalities. For instance, in Maní, the estimated average profit per product was 23.5%, while in Valladolid, it was only 18.9%.
Sandy explains that they used to calculate the cost of the basic materials to determine the price of their creations. It was only after participating in financial and business model workshops, part of the UNESCO program, that she realized achieving a proper profit should also consider the time invested, their expertise, and even the daily use of utilities and services like electricity. Teresita Canche Poot from Tixhualactún had a similar experience, acknowledging that the price of her creations encompasses her technical skills and her creative and artistic work, which is close to her identity.
Petronila Hau Uicab, also from Tixhualactún, remarks that the workshops have empowered women to support themselves, with or without a partner, as sometimes they don't receive support in their textile work or household and care responsibilities.
With our work, we can support our children and relatives, even other families, by selling our products and supporting our fellow artisans
Petronila says, encouraging other women to join activities that continue in other Yucatán municipalities.
The initiative for economic and social development with a gender perspective through textile art is also fortified by the Yucatán Women's Secretariat (Semujeres) and the Yucatecan Institute of Entrepreneurs (IYEM). The objective is to ensure durable benefits by recognizing textile art as part of Mexico's intangible cultural heritage. Marketing strategies are being prepared and made available to artisans to enhance the incorporation, sale, and distribution of their products in strengthened value chains.
Sandy mentions that when she returns home after meetings with artisans, her children ask her what she learned in what they call "school." One of her daughters shows greater interest, gets excited, and generates new ideas that they both put into practice in their workshop. "As a girl, she gets an idea of all the embroideries that can create or all the things she can do with embroidery."
Teresita shares a similar opinion and invites artisans to teach their children about textile art and embroidery:
So that in the future, they can also benefit from it and take care of it because it's part of our heritage
UNESCO also collaborates with men related to women artisans, relatives, emotional partners or men with whom they interact daily in their work. This focus on masculinities aims to make men aware of gender biases and stereotypes, to identify and address them, and to build healthy, respectful, and co-responsible relationships with women. This component aims to ensure that men support the personal and professional women's development without restricting it or in an invasive way.
Petronila had not heard of UNESCO before, and while Teresita was familiar with it, she was unaware of its work. They now acknowledge its importance in supporting communities in various aspects, including cultural and social sciences, for well-being.
UNESCO has taught us to value our work and continue learning daily
The stories of these three talented artisans serve as a call to action to support more women worldwide in their processes and strengthen the conditions for their full and dignified development.
