Cotton Flag Garland as Prayers for Peace, "Flags of World Peace"

Guatemala's jaspe fabrics are varied and beautiful. A type of ikat weaving, the threads are tie-dyed before they are placed on the floor loom. Members of the Women Artisans of Santa Cruz cooperative place 15 jaspe flags in assorted colours and patterns on a decorative garland. "These represent Tibetan prayer flags," the artisans say. "Their colours have meanings of their own — blue is a symbol of water, red is for fire, green for air and yellow for the earth. The cloth is woven by hand with much love. Many Maya hands have touched each textile, and we're proud to use recycled fabric. For us, recycling is another form of promoting peace and prosperity for ourselves and for our Mother Earth. Please remember that your attitude when installing these prayer banners is very important, and we ask that you take a moment to wish for peace for people everywhere so they can receive the benefits of our blessings. We want everyone to be free and at peace."