Santa Maria Nebaj is an Ixil speaking village in the Department of Quiche, north of Sacapulas via a difficult unpaved mountain road. It is one of the three towns that make up the Ixil Triangle, one of the areas most severely effected by the Guatemalan civil war. In the 1980’s, it was known as a village of widows and orphans and many refugees fled from the area to Chiapas in Mexico. Nebaj dress was considered dangerous in that it might imply association with guerillas. Now the town has demilitarized and the wearing of traditional dress is again the norm. “The Nebaj costume is one of the most dramatic of all Guatemalan daily costumes. Each aspect of it commands attention, from the twisted and wrapped headdress and the white huipil with bold purple, orange green and blue brocaded bird, animal and human motifs, to the red wrapped skirt, stiff multicolored diamond brocaded sash and large striped shawl.” (Altman and West, Threads of Identity, Fowler Museum, pp. 108-109) Because of considerable attention it has received from NGO’s, there are now multiple websites devoted to Nebaj. See nebaj.com and nebaj.org.

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