I don’t remember the first time I read about khipus (also spelled quipus). Most likely, it was the summer that I spent at a Spanish language institute in Mexico and was assigned the topic “Who were the Incas?” for a culture report. I remember being intrigued with the mathematical possibilities of something that sounded like a soft abacus. But I set aside my curiosity in order to focus on learning the names of all the Inca leaders—names that all seemed to have way too many letters. So now, all these years later, I was very interested in the ATA Textile Talk, “Written in Knots: What We Know Today About Khipus,” presented by Juan Antonio Murro, the curator for pre-Columbian art … Read More
Update on Andean Textile Arts Tours
As many of you know, our tours have been on hold since 2020 due to COVID-related concerns. Although COVID is still with us, vaccines, treatments, and fewer restrictions on international travel are giving us hope that we can begin to resume our tours in the coming months. It’s exciting to think about traveling again and at the same time challenging to plan for all the possible contingencies. We have always strived to plan and conduct safe tours for our participants. We’ve provided tips and guidelines for staying healthy while traveling, including specific information on altitude-related issues, food safety, sanitizing to avoid germs carried by money and other items, and staying hydrated. Both ATA and our travel partner in Peru, Raul … Read More
Telling the Tales: A Thank You to Libby VanBuskirk
In her book Beyond the Stones of Machu Picchu, Elizabeth (Libby) VanBuskirk introduces herself as “a writer, weaver, and teacher.” She continues with the statement that “the weaver’s art could never be separated from the larger culture of the Incas and their predecessors.” Libby VanBuskirk is a serious writer. She is a weaver. She is a visionary. And her story cannot be separated from the story of Andean Textile Arts (ATA). As part of ATA’s unfolding “memories project,” I was recently treated to a delightful and gracious chat with Libby through the wonders of our now ubiquitous Zoom. This was one of those conversations that I found myself longing for in person. I so wished for a cup of tea, … Read More
Volunteer Profile: Bob Miller
You may recognize Bob Miller’s name. He is one of our regular blog authors, providing his perspective on Andean-related books and delving into amazing textile techniques such as four-selvedge cloth. He also does a lot for Andean Textiles Arts (ATA) behind the scenes, researching and writing textile descriptions for our auction and helping to select topics and book titles for our Andean Textile Talks and Andean Book Club meetings. Bob grew up in Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech with an an engineering degree. Afterwards he headed to Colorado, where he spent his entire thirty-nine-year career and raised three children with this wife, Jean. He’s retired now. “Colorado was just about perfect for Jean and I, with plenty of nearby … Read More