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Mayan Tic Tac Toe Game - Bat vs Spiders/ Serpents vs Crocodiles/ Toad vs Turtle
Mayan Tic Tac Toe Game - Bat vs Spiders/ Serpents vs Crocodiles/ Toad vs Turtle
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You'll get a kick out of our handmade Tic-Tac-Toe game, hand-crafted by the artisans in Guatemala of De La Selva. A fun board game to pass quality time. A set of 8 cute animal figurines and a hand-painted board. Makes for an excellent activity on travels and picnics.
Toad: called Bab in Maya. This animal is related with the rituals of water and is considered the messenger of a goddess.
Turtle: The Mayas related this animal with water. For the Mayas, his shell symbolizes the circular shape of the earth, which was used as a musical instrument, and also to reproduce the sound of lightning proceeding the rain.
Bat: Called Tzotz in Maya, this nocturnal animal is related to death, sacrifice, and forces of darkness.
Spider: The Mayas related this insect with lxchel: goddess of healthiness at birth, pregnancy, and fertility.
Serpent: Called Caani in Maya. The deities of water and earth's fertility are believed to be related to this powerful animal.
Crocodile: In Mayan cosmology, a huge crocodile was holding the earth. The Mayans believed him to be a source of great power.
To the ancient Mayas of Guatemala, each animal represented a feeling, was related to a ritual, or was connected to the environment. Play Mayan Tic-Tac-Toe and learn about what the Mayans believed these animals represented.
- Three board designs are available: Toad vs Turtle, Bat vs Spider, and Serpent vs Crocodile.
- Each Board Measures 3-1/2” x 3-1/2”, and game pieces measure 1/4" - 3/4”.
Handmade in Guatemala and fair trade imported.
To learn more about the talented artists and the techniques they use to create these eco-friendly items, please click "About the Artisans" below.
About the Artisans
About the Artisans
Chichicastenango, Guatemala, has become one of the most important heritage centers in Guatemala during the past 10 years, due to its predominant indigenous Maya Quiche population and their traditional textile products. Yet, despite increased tourism and a renewed interest in traditional Mayan crafts, work opportunities remain few for the indigenous population, many of whom are uneducated and otherwise unemployable.
Enter De Colores Art, a local business that levels the playing field for villagers by offering free training to anyone who demonstrates the initiative to learn a trade. The company employs 30 women and 18 men to knit and embroider textile products, with the option of working at home using materials provided by the company. De Colores recognizes the culture of its Mayan employees, and as such allows flexible hours and gives time off for sowing and harvest days.
De Colores also invests in community education projects by funding two local schools in the neighboring towns of Chujupen y Pachoj, and by providing scholarships to qualifying students.
In addition to stimulating the local economy by creating new jobs, De Colores makes a conscious effort to use recycled materials whenever possible. The reason for this is twofold: to preserve Mayan culture, as recycled textiles showcase traditional knitting patterns that aren’t often seen in newer textiles, and to reduce scraps and waste.
Communities collaborate in the production process, as men work on the biggest textiles and women do the embroidery, crochet and macramé seen in smaller pieces. In some cases, in order to be competitive, sewing machines are used to assemble the finished product, although all the components are handmade and hand embroidered from cotton, wool and/or silk.
