The Mystery of the Huipil (?)

Cathy Koos

A dear friend of mine has travelled the world many times over in her 89 years.  Beginning in her home village in northern England, Ursula spent the World War II years in relative safety perched in her uncle’s cliffside manor in coastal Wales.  Her Anglican priest father was an inveterate birder, and her mum was an artist.

Post war saw my friend off to nursing school.  Her first big adventure was in the late 50’s as midwife to her sister when her brother-in-law was posted to the far reaches of an Army post deep in the mountains of India.

Why fly directly to India, when the famed Thomas Cook Travel Agency in London could create an amazing sail-and-rail itinerary including pyramids and camels?  Way before the days of online travel arrangements, Cook was the flagship of travel agencies.

And so, the next 70 years passed, one adventure after another, filling her ranch house with textiles and memorabilia from her far-flung travels.

There is one woven textile hanging in the guest room that, however, defies identity and provenance, and I would like you, dear reader, to help us out. A friend with whom Ursula regularly traveled to Mexico is sure it was not acquired during one of their many trips.

In a recent chat with renowned backstrap weaver, Laverne Waddington, she has identified it as a huipil, possibly from Mesoamerica.

There is no odor of wool, colors bright and appear colorfast.  It was likely purchased as new from a tourist market.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!  You can email me at editor@cnch.org