The ancient art of weaving continues to be the heart of life in the Bolivian highlands, where extraordinary fabrics reflect the cultural identity of Andean communities.

The inhabitants of the Bolivian highlands are not nomadic herders but live in permanent settlements on lands where nature is not generous. This has forced them to exploit the resources at their disposal to the maximum. The animals they raise, especially llamas and alpacas, native to the Andes, have long been a source of protein and means of transport. Still, their greatest value lies in the wool with which they make resistant fabrics to protect themselves from the cold at those altitudes.

Llama in a remote area of Bolivia. The greatest value of llamas and alpacas is their wool, which is used to make resistant fabrics to protect against the cold at these altitudes. 123rf

It is a tradition that dates back to pre-conquest times when textiles were considered a first-class art, worth dedicating all the time and effort possible to achieve the desired quality and beauty. This awareness of the artistic potential of fibres is still alive among the Jalq’a, who inhabit a series of communities located northwest of Sucre, and among their Quechua-speaking neighbours, the Tarabucos, who occupy lands to the southeast. Their devotion to these traditions can certainly be attributed to their isolation from the outside world, but it also survive because of their tenacious sense of cultural pride.
Their clothing continues to represent their cultural and personal identity. The ponchos, shawls, skirts, belts, coca bags, and headdresses they wear convey indications of age, gender, social status, origin, and other messages that the stranger cannot decipher.

Family-based work
Virtually all family members, regardless of age and gender, participate in spinning or contribute to the household work, as spinning takes much longer than weaving a particular piece. If beginners produce uneven or too thick yarn, it can be used for blankets, potato sacks, or other utilitarian objects. Young women learn the basics of knitting by making small pieces (sakas).Boys also weave small pieces, especially belts, which are sometimes offered to girls as a marriage proposal. Traditionally, girls express their consent by weaving a coca bag for their future partners. At the time of marriage, young women bring precious fabrics as a dowry, some perhaps woven especially for the occasion, others inherited
from their grandmothers.

A local woman weaves intricate llama garments on a traditional handloom.123rf

The colours of the fabrics also have special meaning. Some shades are associated with celebrations, others with mourning, while still others identify the community of origin. Natural wool produces black, brown, white, and a wide variety of intermediate colours, the properties of which vary greatly depending on the animal species from which the fibre comes (sheep, llama, alpaca, or vicuña). Some camelids have thicker outer fur and finer inner fur; in addition, certain body parts produce higher-quality wool, so a lengthy preliminary classification phase is necessary.
The fleece is usually washed with strong soap to remove dirt and grease. The fleece is then rinsed and left to dry. The colourful fleeces, which have been recently dyed, can be seen from afar, hanging on clotheslines behind the brown huts that help characterize the landscape.
Anilines, readily available in regional markets, produce bright colours, but natural dyes are also used and are coming back into fashion, especially among purists seeking to obtain fabrics with an antique look.
Among other dyes, weavers use walnut shells, wild marigolds, eucalyptus leaves, various lichens, elderberries, and indigo, which they fix with alum or iron oxide mordants and intensify with vinegar or lemon juice baths.

Indigenous woman showing traditional Andean weaving techniques and textile production. 123rf

To interpret the various motifs, present in the pallay, or main design, it can be said that the Tarabuco weavers organize the elements of the design (plants, animals, people, geometric shapes, symbols, etc.) in registers separated by thin strips that they call jarq’achin, a term that suggests containment and that what does not disperse.
A specially decorated dancing half-skirt (taki aqsu) or in soft colours (luto aqsu) may have seven or more ribbons, while those for everyday use have fewer. The wider central band is usually decorated with a zigzag (q’inqu), thought to represent mountains and rivers, and has small plant or bird motifs in the corners.
Often the warp fibres of the central ribbon produce the luminous effect of a rainbow (k’uychis). Symmetrically, within narrow bands on each side, processions of creatures are lined up that appear to be marching or dancing, because there is almost always a sense of movement.
The collection of animals may include partridges, ducks, cats, dogs, chickens, deer, vizcachas, horses with banners, and figures on horseback. Elaborate and stylized representations of palm trees, processional altars (pukaras), and a diamond-shaped motif (ch’aska) representing Venus are also common because the evening star has a special meaning among Quechua-speaking peoples.

Imagination and creativity
When women store their shawls, they fold them into accordion-shaped pleats, which are considered elegant when worn. Other, simpler shawls are woven in two pieces with common techniques, mostly in crimson or dark red, with inner bands in the centre and edges. These pieces can become almost waterproof and, with use, become very soft. The same happens with the striped ponchos worn by men (sometimes they wear two in very inclement weather).
These fabrics are very durable. The predominant colour of the ponchos generally identifies the different communities to which they belong. Currently, the bright tones of these fabrics come from anilines obtained for commercial dyeing, but according to one researcher, the tradition of using reddish tones seems to have begun in the 16th century, when cochineal began to be produced in the area.

A woman at the market. 123rf

Tarabuco’s designs, although immensely vivid and lyrical, appear relatively ordered in the visual chaos and surreal fantasy of many Jalq’a fabrics. Although the latter, especially the older ones, may contain decorative bands, the most spectacular examples in recent decades feature continuous spaces populated by creatures of all sizes and shapes, some within others. Favourite shapes include llamas, deer, horses, bats, owls, condors, monkeys, lions, and rabbits, although weavers tend to describe them as khurus, wild and untameable creatures. Humans are rare.
For many years, Jalq’a weavers have used two colours: a reddish or dark brown tone, or black. This colour scheme, evoking flames and dark shadows, seems inspired by a dark and mysterious realm underground. Despite respect for traditional forms, recent textile production by the Tarabucos and Jalq’a has been influenced by new socioeconomic realities that are difficult to control. Over time, a textile trade has developed, first in specialized shops in La Paz, Cochabamba, and Sucre, then through intermediaries abroad. Inevitably, the quality of the fabrics began to decline in order to be easily sold on the local market. More recently, however, the extraordinary khuru of the Jalq’a have returned to spread more than ever and, in the case of the Tarabuco weavers, a new awareness of their own history has re-emerged in their ancient art. (Open Photo: People contemplating the Andes. 123rf)

Caleb Bach