GUATEMALA – A Carmel woman attending Bard College who was awarded a $10,000 Project for Peace grant by the Davis Foundation to develop an innovative, community-centered response to the world’s most pressing issues led the opening processional Tuesday in her native Guatemala.
Ixmucane (Ish’-muh-kanah) Pereira’s project will allow children the ability to create their own “Worry Removal Dolls,” also known as Muñequita Quitapenas, tiny figures that are placed beneath one’s pillow at bedtime to remove worries during sleep and dispel nighttime anxiety.
This week’s summer workshops are being held in collaboration with a Guatemalan middle school and a professional maker of traditional dolls.
Pereira said Mayan Indigenous families are providing the textiles and materials for the dolls, with purchasing support distributed from the grant, to share their land knowledge and help preserve their culture and alleviate daily stressors.
“The practice has traditionally helped maintain inner calm or peace while uniting communities during times of conflict,” said Pereira.
The Davis grants usually support one project per partner institution, but this spring two Bard College projects were selected.
In addition to the Putnam woman’s award, Joao Melo from Salvador, Bahia, in Brazil, and Moani Moreira-Laliberteis from Montreal, Quebec, Canada were granted a stipend for their Project for Peace titled “Pathways of Art” in Brazil.
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