Cintas and Fajas
Fajas, or belts, are
an integral part of every Mayan woman's dress (and some men's). They are used to
secure the corte or skirt. They are woven on a back-strap loom and vary
in length, width and design from village to village. Most are wrapped several
times about the waist with the ends tucked in but some are tied on and include
pom poms or some other decorative fringe.
Cintas, or hair ribbons, are
another part of most Mayan women's traditional dress. Each village has their own
style of cinta as well as their unique way of wearing it. How a woman
wears her cinta may, in some villages, indicate whether she is married or
has children. It may also indicate the wearer's wealth or social or religious
status.
