Santiago Atitlan cinta or tocoyal

This cinta (tocoyal in Tzutijil language) was woven on a back-strap loom on a traditional base of red cotton.  The wearing, and thus the weaving, of these cintas, is becoming rarer as they are mostly worn by older women. The cinta is first wound around the ponytail, and then the ponytail is wrapped around the head and yards and yards of red cloth follow until the design is displayed at the end. This tocoyal is only worn by older women in the village of Santiago Atitlan.  It is a village where men and women still wear traditional dress although the younger generation is ceasing to do so.