Cotton Fibre Item Number: 3651/3 a-g from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Seven different samples of raw, undyed cotton fibre. There are three samples of cleaned, processed cotton roving: off-white (part a), pale orange-brown (part b), and pale green-brown (part c). Also four bundles of raw natural cotton, with bits of seeds etc. still visible: off-white (part d), pale orange-brown (part e), pale green-brown (part f), and a slightly darker version of the pale green-brown (part g).
The samples were used by Victorina López Hilario when she was conducting a workshop at UBC, as part of the 'Debating Origins and Directions of Interregional Exchange in Latin America' organized by Aleksa Alaica. The attendees at the conference, including Hilario, toured MOA with Rowley on October 26, 2023. After the tour (Oct. 28) Rowley purchased two huipils and the raw cotton samples from Hilario, for the MOA collection.
The samples show the natural, undyed cotton that is hand-spun and used for weaving items on a backstrap loom. This type of cotton was used to weave the huipils 3651/1-2 A roving is a long, narrow bundle of fiber produced from raw cotton, to be used for spinning. These roving samples were made by Victorina López Hilario.