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I like to weave. But the loom I have is called an Inkle loom. It's small. I can weave hat bands and belts - and that's about it. But I enjoy it. Backstraps looms, as this woman is using here, are very versatile and date as far back as 2500 BC in the villages, not only of Guatemala, but almost all Central and South American countries. This simple technology means that anyone can own a backstrap loom and that the loom can be set up anywhere. This mobility allows the weaver to work indoors or outside, at a neighbor's house or in the marketplace. In Guatemala this form of weaving continues and the results remain not only useful, but amazingly beautiful. |