Guatemalan Woman's Dress: "Serape"

Guatemalan indigenous women embroider their clothing with designs passed on from mother to daughter and specific to their villages. The colors are often specific to the villages also. Although the term serape is meant to refer to a shawl, not a poncho, the term is used differently in Guatemala.

In Guatemala, serape is used to define a garment much like a poncho. Traditional serapes are made with a dark background color, such as black or brown, interwoven with brightly colored stripes in colors like green, red, and pink. The serape is usually roughly rectangular in shape, and the ends are typically fringed. Some Guatemalan serapes have a hole in the middle, allowing people to stick their heads through, and in some cases a hood may be sewn into the serape to provide additional protection from the elements. Serapes are typically quite large, big enough to double as blankets in a pinch, and they are traditionally made from wool, a thick fiber which provides insulation and some water resistance. Serapes are often a bit coarse and rough, because they are not designed to be worn directly against the skin, although some companies do make softer versions from materials like cotton or finely combed wool. Depending on the region of Central America under discussion, serapes may be worn by men and women, or just men. In Guatemala, women wear these colorful scarves as well.
Source:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-sarape.htm