Womans blouse (Huipil), c. 1930, 22 1/4 x 39 11/16 in. (56.52 x 100.81 cm), Cotton, silk; discontinuous supplementary weft patterning, Mexico, 20th century, Mayan huipiles are silent but eloquent expressive forms that convey multiple meanings. They are the principal medium through which community and individual identity is transmitted and constructed. In the late nineteenth century, Mayan villages officially adopted community-based styles of dress, reflecting local weavers' technical proficiency, aesthetic sensibility, and unique perception of color. While Mayan men adopted Western dress in increasing numbers, Mayan women continued to wear the traditional blouse (huipil) and skirt (corte) of their ancestors, embellished in the readily identifiable style of their community.