Our History
Yanina Bonetto is the face and hands behind the textile brand “LA INDIGENA”. It is within her spirit to travel around the world in order to get in touch with other cultures, countries and people. She began the journey as she collected stamps in her passport of every trip that would take her even farther from her hometown in Rio Turbio a small town in the south of Patagonia, Argentina. On September 5th, 2012, Yanina arrived in Guatemala. Little did she know at that time, that it was in this country, filled with rich culture and “eternal spring” as it is known, would be the begging of her next greatest adventure. It was destiny which drove her to Antigua Guatemala and Panajachel and marveled her eyes with endless nature, welcoming people and the bright colors and design of their clothing, which later led her to take upon the textile and fashion industry. It all started from Yanina’s strong conviction of showing to the whole world the amazing work of these Guatemalan craftswomen who play an important job in the creative process, and also in order to preserve Mayan culture, the opposite of today’s modernization and industrialization of textile equipment, compared to these handmade products as part of Guatemala’s traditions in different regions of the country.
“LA INDIGENA”, as brand, was created in 2014. Its name was developed in a way of honoring and showing respect to the INDIGENOUS CRAFTSWOMEN, the most valuable component in our company. Their dedication and inestimable performance in fabricating the pieces its reflected in the final embroidering, and more than that, it empowers them because their role is more than just being a wife and a mother, something they’ve seen and live by in their communities, they now see themselves as entrepreneurs and with every product made, they are able to experience the rewards of their work as professionals and artists, growing so big, it has led them go even farther than Guatemala’s borders and reaching other countries and people. Huipil, meaning “my covering”, is the canvas that gives them the freedom to communicate their culture, native region, flora and fauna, ancestral symbols, eating habits, creativity and a Mayan tradition that’s been in their families through generations.
Our passion sets its grounds in the preservation and safeguard of Guatemala’s textiles traditions with its variations and different embroidering methods, which we transform in unique, one-of-a-kind fashion items, and that’s why the development process will be distinctive for each piece. We also contribute to improve life in indigenous communities, empowering women and well deserved recognition for the lengthy months invested in making just one “huipil”, the main distinctive feature of our products.
Nowadays, LA INDIGENA has a variety of merchandise, from clothing, to bags, earrings, pottery and cushions marketed in Mexico, South America, United States and Europe. Our dream is to get to every country and border, reaching new clients with art statements that represent a thousand-year inherence from Mayan culture, a civilization that’s still important to this day; and by doing so, we will be able to continue our business’s growth, widening our coverage to indigenous communities, the primary and main part of LA INDIGENA’S purpose.
Yanina Bonetto, currently lives in Guatemala, working hand in hand with this courageous women and design team making all of this possible with effort, love and determination.
Yanina Bonetto works together with these valuable INDIGENOUS WOMEN ARTISANS and their design team, making all this possible with effort, love and determination.
“For every purchase made by any citizen around the world is supporting and collaborating with INDIGENOUS WOMEN ARTISANS in Guatemala.”