Textiles in Progress

Special Textile Creation for Carnaval

Everyone is working hard to create new work for Carnavales, or Mardi Gras, a week-long celebration, dancing from house to house in colorful clothing, this year to happen in March.

This video shows the detail of extremely fine work. Rosa is making a new estallia, the sacred cloth used in the coca leaf ceremony. Rosa and her husband, Jesus, are authorities from the central suyo of Taquile this year, and are parents of the serious boyfriend of one of our beloved girls, Kusi. Rosa will use this to share coca leaves to the group during Carnaval.

Alicia is helping Celbia warp a loom for a new manta for Carnaval. She hasn't joined the dancing in the last few years, but with Silvano as Authority, she wants to support him and join the festivities. The women send a ball of yarn back and forth, wrapping around the dowelling as needed. We joke that they are playing with pelotas, toy balls playing catch.

warping the loom, coca leaves handy

Notice the white section of the warp, below. This is double warped, and longer threads, for the detailed patterns to come.

Warping the loom advances,

Ruperta is weaving a new manta for Ivan. He needs to be very presentable as the oldest son of the Authority, his father, Silvano.

Ruperta is progressing on her weaving.

Ruperta picks out the detailed pattern.

 Kusi is weaving chuspas, coca purses. The men will wear as many as 12 or 15 highly fringed coca purses during Carnaval.

 Ivan and Clever are both knitting complex men's hats for Carnaval. The knitting needles are filed from bicycle spokes--that fine!--and very tightly knit. These hats are seldom sold to tourists, too much work!

The beginnings of a man's pintay chullo

With Silvano as Authoridad, the Huarayo, or head guy of his suyo of Huallyano, this year, he will lead a Carnaval group for the full 7 days March 4 through 10. As we talk to people on the island, we invite them to dance with us. The following picture shows him and Ruperta on their way to the Sunday  council meetings:

Silvano and Ruperta in full regalia

Silvano with another authority