Ccaccaccollo Women's Weaving Co-op and SMUDGY SMOODGY SMURSHY WIDDLE LLAMA FACES!!!
Up not too bright or early, we took our small duffels down to hop on the bus for our Inca adventure. Our duffels have to be no more than 6kg for the Chasquis (cha-skis), the local name for porter, to carry them. Which means only 2.5 or maybe 3kg of personal stuff for five days. It turned out to be harder than I anticipated! I had to keep removing things and running back to the hotel scale. Mission eventually accomplished we started the day trip through the Sacred Valley.
First stop was a big Jesus on a hill for a great aerial view of Cusco. Originally the city outline looked like a puma - one of the sacred animals for the Inca. It's expanded a lot since then with more than 16 million people in the province.
We made a quick stop at a resting place and lookout called Pukapukara. I saw a bird and did a bad job of listening to what other functions it served. A relay post for trading goods I think? Oh a hummingbird! So pretty. I'm going to take your photo. Hey! Stay still you little bastard... Oh different bird! Photo time! Where did everyone go? Ack!
Back on the bus we were off to Ccaccaccollo - a small town with a Planterra supported women's cooperative. This was surprisingly one of my favourite parts of the trip so far. We learned from a local village woman about the community and the women's weaving co-op, and about the positive benefit the project has had. The town square was badly damaged during an earthquake/mudslide, but they have been able to rebuild the square. Many of the women in the co-op have been able to send their children to school locally and in Cusco. And the extra income secured by the women has allowed local farmers to improve their properties and farming equipment. All in all, the women are extremely proud of their work and rightfully so.
We headed in to the co-op and I immediately lost my bananas because IT WAS A LLAMA AND ALPACA FARM!!!! LOOK AT ALL THE SMUDGY SMOODGY SMURSHY WIDDLE LLAMA FACES!!!
You guys, I'm like the llama whisperer. They really love me.
Alpacas love me less. Or not at all.
After a bascrilliondy photos of llamas and alpacas, I finally joined my group for a lesson in making yarn and weaving. Here's what I've retained (despite being horribly distracted by alpaca and llama cuteness).
Step 1: Shear the wool and wash it using a super cool plant that is a natural antibacterial, foaming wash.
Vicuna, alpaca, llama and sheep wool.
Step 2: Dye the wool using a variety of local plants and minerals like eucalyptus leaves (greens and greys - when combined with urine), crushed cactus beetles (purple and the reds), flowers (yellow), and crystals (pink, orange, reds). All the colours are made from a combination of these natural materials. Traditionally, there are 27 different colours that can be produced this way!
Step 3: Comb and spin the wool using a cool spindle thingy.
Step 4: Select your pattern and start weaving on the loom.
Step 5: Wax the fabric (I forgot what material is used) for water resistance.
Step 6: Sell the super cool, soft, warm, fuzzy llama sweaters, hats, scarves, mittens, etc. to llama-crazy tourists.
The skills and patterns are passed from parent to child traditionally. And the patterns of course tell stories and myths passed down through generations. Women's big skill test before marriage was their ability to weave quality fabrics.
Small pieces can take a few days on the looms, whereas big pieces like blankets and table cloths can take weeks.
After the excellent demo, we were invited to visit the women avidly weaving, feed the llamas and alpacas grass, and most importantly buy products directly from the women.
Lookit my super cool llama toque!
I especially liked the naughty alpaca that stuck his head through the fence and pulled the blanket supporting the grass of the bench. All the grass on that side fell down. Then he ate it. Then he chewed on the blanket. He's got the life hacks down.
After watching a new friend on the trip get spit on by an alpaca and laughing hysterically (sorry Tineke but it was SO FUNNY!), it was time to hop back on the bus and head to the next archaeological sites - Pisac and Ollyantaytambo.
First stop was a big Jesus on a hill for a great aerial view of Cusco. Originally the city outline looked like a puma - one of the sacred animals for the Inca. It's expanded a lot since then with more than 16 million people in the province.
We made a quick stop at a resting place and lookout called Pukapukara. I saw a bird and did a bad job of listening to what other functions it served. A relay post for trading goods I think? Oh a hummingbird! So pretty. I'm going to take your photo. Hey! Stay still you little bastard... Oh different bird! Photo time! Where did everyone go? Ack!
Back on the bus we were off to Ccaccaccollo - a small town with a Planterra supported women's cooperative. This was surprisingly one of my favourite parts of the trip so far. We learned from a local village woman about the community and the women's weaving co-op, and about the positive benefit the project has had. The town square was badly damaged during an earthquake/mudslide, but they have been able to rebuild the square. Many of the women in the co-op have been able to send their children to school locally and in Cusco. And the extra income secured by the women has allowed local farmers to improve their properties and farming equipment. All in all, the women are extremely proud of their work and rightfully so.
We headed in to the co-op and I immediately lost my bananas because IT WAS A LLAMA AND ALPACA FARM!!!! LOOK AT ALL THE SMUDGY SMOODGY SMURSHY WIDDLE LLAMA FACES!!!
You guys, I'm like the llama whisperer. They really love me.
Alpacas love me less. Or not at all.
After a bascrilliondy photos of llamas and alpacas, I finally joined my group for a lesson in making yarn and weaving. Here's what I've retained (despite being horribly distracted by alpaca and llama cuteness).
Step 1: Shear the wool and wash it using a super cool plant that is a natural antibacterial, foaming wash.
Vicuna, alpaca, llama and sheep wool.
Step 2: Dye the wool using a variety of local plants and minerals like eucalyptus leaves (greens and greys - when combined with urine), crushed cactus beetles (purple and the reds), flowers (yellow), and crystals (pink, orange, reds). All the colours are made from a combination of these natural materials. Traditionally, there are 27 different colours that can be produced this way!
Step 3: Comb and spin the wool using a cool spindle thingy.
Step 4: Select your pattern and start weaving on the loom.
Step 5: Wax the fabric (I forgot what material is used) for water resistance.
Step 6: Sell the super cool, soft, warm, fuzzy llama sweaters, hats, scarves, mittens, etc. to llama-crazy tourists.
The skills and patterns are passed from parent to child traditionally. And the patterns of course tell stories and myths passed down through generations. Women's big skill test before marriage was their ability to weave quality fabrics.
Small pieces can take a few days on the looms, whereas big pieces like blankets and table cloths can take weeks.
After the excellent demo, we were invited to visit the women avidly weaving, feed the llamas and alpacas grass, and most importantly buy products directly from the women.
Lookit my super cool llama toque!
I especially liked the naughty alpaca that stuck his head through the fence and pulled the blanket supporting the grass of the bench. All the grass on that side fell down. Then he ate it. Then he chewed on the blanket. He's got the life hacks down.
After watching a new friend on the trip get spit on by an alpaca and laughing hysterically (sorry Tineke but it was SO FUNNY!), it was time to hop back on the bus and head to the next archaeological sites - Pisac and Ollyantaytambo.
Comments
Post a Comment