Awamaki Tours are operated by a Non-Profit that describes itself as "a Peruvian non-profit working with impoverished Quechua women weavers to improve their skills and increase their access to market, thereby revitalizing an endangered weaving tradition while affording Quechua women with a reliable source of income." Based in Ollantaytambo, Peru, Awamaki has a variety of interesting tour opportunities that allow tourists to experience Peruvian culture while giving something back.
I eagerly anticipated our trip to Peru, especially the day we set aside for Awamaki. I had been corresponding with the non-profit organization for several weeks and even agreed to "pack mule" a donated laptop in to their headquarters in Ollantaytambo. While Awamaki has several tours, I was especially interested in the weaving project. However, my trip coincided with rainy season. Because the roads easily wash out during this time of year, we were unsure whether we would be able to make the trek to Patacancha community until the day before we were scheduled to visit.
Luckily, the rain held off so that we could make the journey. We met with our local guide on the Plaza del Armas in Ollantaytambo. We were accompanied by another Awamaki volunteer whose mission was going to be documenting the many trails around Ollantaytambo to be published in a guide offered by Awamaki. They hired a local driver to take us up the tight road that runs along the Pachamama River to the community, which sits at nearly 13,000 feet above sea level.
The journey was almost as interesting as the destination. I watched in awe as two small children, probably six or seven, guided a cow along the treacherous road as we passed alongside. We stopped briefly to have a discussion with a large gathering of local people. It was interesting to see them in their colorful clothing, an indication that the clothing we witnessed at the tourist shops were not merely for show. The conversations centered on a young boy that needed to be driven down the mountain for medical treatment for his leg. Initially, it was decided that he would ride back down the mountain with us, but by the time we returned, the situation had resolved with some other set of plans.
We arrived outside the Patacancha community at a portion of the road that was not passable. We were very close to our destination, so the driver parked in a sturdy area and we walked the rest of the way in. The community was spread out along a fairly level area with relatively small contours in the landscape. From this perspective, the valley dropped off sharply below us to another community and veered steeply skyward into the mountains. We chose our footing carefully among the muddy ruts that normally serve as the road.
We walked a short distance to a set of covered structures that the local community had helped Awamaki construct. The community maintains contact with Ollantaytambo through a satellite phone, which apparently serves the entire community. Word of our arrival did not precede us, so word went out quickly to many of the local women, who slowly gathered under the hut-like structures. Normally, women walk from other parts of the mountain, often for hours, to attend the weaving cooperative. While there are dozens of women who often participate, our visit was attended by closer to ten or twelve.
The first woman we met was Mercedes. She arrived wearing the traditional Lliclla, which is a brightly colored rectangular shawl fastened in front using a tupu. This was covered with a larger K'eperina containing her weaving tools. Her monteras (bowl-like hat) was perched slightly to the right side and held in place with a decorated band called a sanq'apa. She also had a dark blue and bright orange melkkhay, or skirt. She sat to our right and began twirling her brown alpaca fur using what I would describe as a wooden plumb. The plumb has a round weight at the bottom and a wooden dowel at the top. As the thread is spun, it is wrapped around the dowel. She would tie the thread off at the top of the dowel and drop/spin it to twist the alpaca fur as she gently pulled it. She used her fingers to work any debris from the thread as she worked.
Now, this is easier described than accomplished. Mercedes gave me an opportunity to try it and I failed miserably. What she accomplished with an economy of motions, I went to great lengths to imitate. She tied off the thread for me, so all I really had to do was spin the thread from the alpaca fur. I apparently spun the thread too tightly, causing it to snap. She graciously took the raw materials from me, absorbed my mistake into the thread and continued spinning. Her gracefulness and ease made sense. The weaving tradition was once among the highest forms of art. It is a tradition that Awamaki is attempting to keep alive through their empowerment program.
After trying to spin thread from wool, I watched as another woman, Isabella used a small loom to create a belt. I was amazed at the process, which she made look simple. The designs for these textiles are not written out in a handbook or on graph paper. These women maintain their unique patterns in their head. They often decide on the next icon in their textile when they get to it, creating as they weave. Isabella pounded a stick into the ground in front of her and tied her project off around her waist. This requires her to lean back to create tension on the loom while she weaves (see the title photo). Rather than using a fixed set of vertical strings, she would rotate the vertical strings top to bottom with each row. She would then hand select each string to "drop" until she worked her way across the textile. After passing the horizontal thread through the loom, she would tighten it with a small piece of wood.
Our guide, Kiri, offered us background on the tradition of weaving. She talked about a tunic that was discovered (and is currently in a museum) that was woven from twelve layers at once. I wish I could have seen it. We also learned about the process used to make the different colors used to dye the wool. Many of the designs used one of the twenty-two natural alpaca fur colors. Many more colors are made from natural dyes, like cochineal which are small bugs harvested from the prickly cactus that is used to make red dye. It takes thousands of these small aphid-like creatures to make the dye, making the process labor intensive. In addition to the natural colors and dyes, the local women often use synthetic dyes, which they prefer for their bright clothing because of the brilliance of the colors and due to the fact that they are more resistant to fading.
My wife and I were given an opportunity to visit with each of the women as we examined their unique and attractive handiwork. I was especially impressed with Mercedes' work. Her patterns were interesting and the quality of her weaving was evident. Her tightly structured textiles were amazingly straight and the designs crisp. It was evident what she was creating through her imagery. I purchased a table runner from her before searching the other weavers for a small wallet. Most of the wallets (change purses) were feminine, but I found a nice brown one that appeared to be woven from natural colors. I was given an excellent price, so I didn't bother dickering. The women were patient with our questions and very hospitable during our visit. It was enlightening and culturally enriching to spend time with them while they spun thread and created magnificent textiles.
After enjoying our time with the local women, we were escorted to a nearby home. It was the private residence of one of the women in the weaving group. Her husband, the former mayor, invited us into the structure that once served as the families primary residence. He was turning it into a cuy (Guinea pig) breeding room. We talked about life in Patacancha and he was very gracious with his answers. It was incredible to be allowed into a private home. His home is also one of very few that has guest quarters. Awamaki does provide tours that offer an opportunity to spend the night with a local family. After learning that we might have to pick worms out of our potato soup, I was happy to spend half a day and wait until our return to Ollantaytambo to eat lunch.
We were treated to one more small treasure on our way back to the taxi. A group of five children, around six years of age, were playing in a small stream of water along the roadside. I had a pocketful of candy that I brought with me for just such an opportunity. After handing out candy, the children agreed to pose for a picture. My wife and I left Patacancha feeling like we actually experienced Peru. Not just the Inca Markets with professional merchants, but the real people and the true culture. That is not something you will experience with many tour groups. It is the very reason I was attracted to Awamaki to begin with.
In addition to the weaving project, Awamaki runs a couple of other tours. This includes a Pottery Workshop that demonstrates pre-Inca techniques. Other projects include woodcarving and basket weaving. My fallback plan, in the event that the road to Patacancha had washed out was to participate in a cooking class. This includes a visit to the local market, where you are assisted in purchasing local ingredients, a cooking class, and an opportunity to enjoy the fruit of your labor. The cooking class runs 100 soles (about forty dollars).
(This photo taken from the Awamaki website)
In addition to the tourist projects, Awamaki is working on their hiking guide and operates a small textile shop near the Ollantaytambo ruins. The shop includes a variety of textiles created by the women in the cooperative. My wife and I took a few minutes to stroll around the store, which has walls lined with a variety of crafts interspersed with photographs of the artisans. I was glad that we thought to take pictures with the women who created our own crafts. They are treasures that will help us remember this special tour. The non-profit also operates a mobile clinic that visits the remote communities on an ad hoc basis.
As a non-profit organization, Awamaki does accept donations. This can be done in the form of donations, through their website. Other ways to contribute included donating needed products like laptops and baby formula, carrying donated items with you if you visit the Sacred Valley and participating in their sustainable tourism programs. Whether you take a cooking class or visit the weaving project, the money helps sustain the community. This is a must-see tour if you are passing through Ollantaytambo. This is one of those opportunities that should not be missed.
All photos (with the exception of the cooking class photo) are my own. We did not do the cooking class, so that photo was obtained from the organization website. The rest of these photo may be reproduced with prior permission.