Embroidery to Repair Life: Body-Territory Mapping and Collective Embroidery

Abstract

In Latin America, textile traditions such as embroidery are integral to the community and personal well-being, representing the experiences and resistance of women in both domestic and public spheres. From a feminist lens, this article explores the role of collective embroidery and body-territory mapping as resistance tools within conflict zones. This analysis focuses on the project ‘Memories of Our Body-Territory. Testimonies about Structural Violence and Daily Life of Women Weavers in the Municipality of Magdalenas, Chiapas’. This region has faced political and territorial disputes impacting women’s lives and textile practices. Collective mapping and embroidery foster safe spaces for dialogue, reflection, and connection, promoting self-knowledge and well-being. The embroidered pieces transmit the memory of the body-territory, repairing the individual and collective and solidifying mutual support networks among women affected by the armed conflict.