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How To Make An Andean Weaving

24 November 2005 (Thursday) – Sucre, Bolivia

The day started out pretty cloudy so I figured my time was best spent in a museum. The one that came highly recommended was the Museo de Arte Textil Indigena (organised by an association called ASUR, acronym for something I could not recall). For several years now, the ASUR foundation had put together this museum of the history, techniques and exquisite weavings from the Jal’qa and Tarabuco areas not so far from Sucre.

Years and years ago, both men and women weaved. But, after the colonisation of the Spaniards, the men were taken off to do other work. So, after hundreds of years, the art of weaving for men (which was of a different style) was forgotten. The ASUR foundation restudied ancient weavings, and reintroduced the art back to the men. So, in this museum hung the contemporary weavings from these regions, from both men and women, as well as the really antique weavings from tens and hundreds of years ago.

Gosh, the works are absolutely stunning! I had never seen such finely threaded weavings.

The Tarabuco people weave coloured threads on white background. They usually weave of ‘kay pacha’ (the world here), in other words, of things that they experience on this world. A typical weaving has bulls, goats, macaws, llamas, lions, roosters, starry nights, people dancing, drinking chicha, harvesting, carrying water, etc… The weavings are ordered, in rows of 3, 5, 7, etc… with geometrical designs, with equally balanced motifs on either side. They also design calendars on their weavings, showing Carnaval celebrations, weddings, festivals to plead for rain where there are games and dances, harvesting, Todo Los Santos (where they show cemeteries).

Women from Tarabuco make weavings of 'kay pacha' (the world here)

The Jal’qa people weave of ‘ukhu pacha’ (the world under). This is NOT hell, as is assumed by many people. It is the sacred deep world of uncertain land, diffused light, populated by extraordinary creatures not of this world. They weave red, pink or orange on black background. Here, they weave strange creatures with 4 wings, 2 heads, creatures within the stomachs of creatures. There is no order. The motifs go chaotically all over the weavings, sometimes, the background becomes the creature and the creature merges into the background.

Women from Jal'qa make weavings of 'ukhu pacha' (the world under)

The museum went on to describe the rituals and offerings the people do before a weaving to ask for a successful, precise work, where the outcome is really what they hopeĀ for.

When I first studied the various incredible weavings, I marvelled at the overall designs, the colour-combination, the fine details. Later, as I observed the 2 ladies (1 from Jal’qa, 1 from Tarabuco) sitting in the corridor, demonstrating their crafts, I realised that these women were weaving, very rapidly with their nimble fingers, if I may add, without an overall design prepared. The designs are all in their heads. To weave 1 line, she has to thread through the entire width of the cloth. And to weave that 1 line, she already knows when she should skip the front threads to create the designs she has in her head. She has to think 3-dimensional, if you know what I mean, and at astonishing speed! Gosh, it was absolutely mind-boggling when I tried to figure it all out.

Since Copacabana, or rather… since Ecuador, actually, there had been humongous stacks of weavings, packed from floor to ceiling, in many artesania shops. They had become a blur to me, just too many to truly appreciate them. But having been to this museum, where I learnt there is a meaning to each of the motif, where the designs take me to the earthly world here and the magical world beyond… gosh, I now truly looked upon these weavings with brand new eyes.

When I passed by Naoki in the museum, I gave him a casual ‘hi’. I was not even surprised to run into him anymore, for yesterday, I had also met him at the chifa. Later, back at the same chifa, there he was again, eating stir-fried hot-diced chicken. He had understood nothing at the museum, of course. As I had bought postcards for each type of weavings, I explained to him in baby English what they all meant. Now, he was mighty impressed.

It poured really heavily right after lunch. I was too cold and wet to walk around the city, and headed home.

Wolfgang was having some battles in his home with the leaky roof, the flooded patio, the ruined walls. The workers had not even showed up for work today. Well, with everything in white and off-white furnishings, I had to be really careful not to dirty the house with my wet shoes.

Later when the rain subsided a little, he drove me to visit his ex-house, way up on a hill, next to the Museo Tanga Tanga, a children’s interactive science museum. His ex-house had now been converted into a hotel and a convention centre. It was immense, and in such a magical location, as to see all of Sucre from the top here… even the dinosaur tracks, 7 km off Sucre. Magic, magic, magic!!! How he must have lived like a king here!

He later showed me around his current house, and I was very impressed with his library of books… everything you ever need to know about Bolivia – history, cultural, etnographical, political, agricultural, etc… – you can find something here. Good for research students. A true intellect! I am so glad I made contact with him, for I learnt so much from him about life here in Sucre and in Bolivia.



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