Katyi Ya’a is an artisan collective in San Juan Colorado, Oaxaca, that preserves Mixtec cultural heritage by creating textiles from native, rain-fed cotton, using traditional methods like hand-spinning with drop spindles and weaving on backstrap looms. This cotton, grown without chemicals by local farmers, supports agroecological practices and sustains a deep connection between land, craft, and community through labor-intensive, skillful processes from seed removal to intricate brocade weaving.

We were privileged to host artist and storyteller Maya Poon and photographer Kate Berry in the beautiful Atlas Mountains foothills earlier this year, on our Morocco Wool Weaving Workshop. Here, Maya shares about the experience, accompanied by Kate’s beautiful photos.