Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here.
Myself with Yolanda and Anastasia, two weavers in Guatemala, working on a film in 2016.
An Introduction
My name is Erin Semine Kökdil and I’m a documentary filmmaker currently based in Oakland, California. In January of 2022, I will be traveling to Guatemala as a Fulbright-National Geographic Storytelling Fellow. During the 10-month fellowship, I will be making a feature-length documentary film following a family of backstrap weavers in rural Guatemala.
Wait…what is backstrap weaving?
According to Maya legend, over two thousand years ago the goddess Ixchel invented backstrap weaving, a traditional art form used to create intricate yet sturdy textiles. Today, Maya women throughout Guatemala continue to backstrap weave—maintaining their culture and resisting systematic cultural assimilation.
A backstrap weaver in Canton Quiejel, Quiche, Guatemala.
Why is it important?
Today, the arts that reflect Maya history and cultures are in danger of disappearing, due to the many ramifications of globalization, one of which is mass-produced textiles that result in weavers struggling to earn a living wage. As Western culture exerts an ever-stronger influence on Maya communities, more young people are leaving behind traditional practices for more profit-earning occupations, and fewer backstrap weavers are passing down their knowledge to the next generation. It is feared that backstrap weaving could disappear within a mere 50 years.
What’s to come…
As documentary film captures real life events that cannot be scripted, I am still unsure what is yet to come. I do know that I will (hopefully) be leaving the U.S. for Guatemala in January and starting pre-production almost immediately when I arrive.
I will be sharing all updates on the project here on my blog, in addition to some of my thoughts and ideas around documentary film in general, visual storytelling, collaborative filmmaking, and more. I also hope to interview Guatemalan filmmakers, scholars, weavers, and activists and feature those conversations here.
Please feel free to reach out if there is something in particular you’d like to learn more about. I also very much am continuously learning myself and I deeply appreciate the wisdom of others. With that being said, I welcome questions, comments, and conversations.
Until next time!
Erin