June and July were busy, busy travel months for CTTC, with a major presence at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival on the Mall in Washington, DC, followed by the Santa Fe Folk Art Market. IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL The Smithsonian event, Peru Pachamama, focused solely on Peru this year, unlike previous years in which several countries were featured. The extreme biodiversity of Peru provided opportunities to feature highland, jungle, and coastal cultures. As reported by ATA board member Jan Gibson, CTTC was represented by Nilda and Angel Callañaupa along with Timoteo, Damian, Rosita, Delia, Epephenia, Leandra, and Quintina from member villages. Their activities were by no means confined to weaving: they were also dyeing, cooking, dancing, telling stories, presenting at discussions, … Read More
The First Gathering of Young Weavers
The Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco (CTTC) has a well-guarded secret. We work with nine amazing groups of young weavers from nine of our ten communities. For the past several years these groups of children and young adults have gathered in their communities’ weaving centers every Saturday to learn from their elders and carry on weaving traditions that could have been lost forever between the cracks of time. This year the CTTC began to develop more programs and opportunities for the Young Weavers Groups (formerly called Jakima Clubs). On Saturday, June 6th, we held the First Gathering of Young Weavers, a program we hope to make a bi-annual event. At 8:00 in the morning 195 young people and their adult … Read More