TakeBackTheRebozo

o
z
o
b
e
R
e
h
T
k
c
a
B
e
k
#Ta
E
SE LOV
A
B
D
S AN
W
E
I
V
E
CBW R
C
M
O
R
RCED F
U
O
S
ER
A PRIM
"What is a rebozo?"
A rebozo is a hand woven shawl specific to certain Mesoamerican
countries. The colors, weaves, and patterns are specific to regions.
A rebozo can accompany a person from birth (being carried in
one) to death (being buried with one) and everything in between.
Rebozos are much more than beautiful cloths to carry babies in,
but this aspect of the rebozo has mostly been maintained by
indigenous women.
A rebozo is not. . .
A carry, pass, knot, shorty wrap, or a verb. The persistent use of
the word "rebozo" in these contexts is erasure of what a rebozo
truly is. Misusing the word dilutes the history and significance of a
very important Mesoamerican cultural touchstone.
"Why is it being used out of context?"
Columbusing and cultural appropriation. Erika Hoffmann of
Didymos was gifted a rebozo by friends who vacationed in
Mexico. She wore her babies in it, and basically became a
babywearing celebrity and juggernaut for something indigenous
women had been practicing continuously. The "rebozo" carry and
pass were not actually named for the traditional carrier, but for
Hoffmann's Didymos "Rebozos".
"I still don't understand."
The best way to honor the traditional rebozo, and the indigenous
women who kept the practice alive, is to distinguish it from all the
things that its name has wrongly been applied to. Not doing so
perpetuates the columbusing and cultural appropriation that
originated with Didymos. Also, this relationship of distinguishing
the carrier from a carry already exists in the form of the Kanga
and Torso Carry. This change is not as massive as it may seem.
"But what do I now call the pass/carry?"
No one person can answer that with authority. "Traditional
Sling/Hip/Back" pass/carry is gaining steam, though. "Traditional"
is a nod to all indigenous cultures around the world that carry in
this fashion, and to just use "Sling/Hip/Back" would be erasure.
"What does ​
#​
TakeBackTheRebozo​
mean?"
#TakeBackTheRebozo is a celebration of traditional babywearing.
Babywearers with Mesoamerican ancestral roots are embracing
this hashtag to honor a tradition they are reclaiming and/or
continuing. The hashtag was born out of these conversations on
how best to honor the traditional rebozo in the modern Eurocentric babywearing community.
Please join CCBW Reviews on Facebook for further conversations on this topic,
including how this change affects the U.S. babywearing lexicon.