To Weave in the Andes is a Conversation with the Origin
Paulina, a high Andean weaver from the community of Acchahuata, stakes four sticks into the ground to begin her journey towards assembling the weaving, using the technique taught to her by their grandmother and mother. After choosing her yarns, she combines and develops the design that she feels through a system of two intertwined threads…and in its framework, with infinite patience, those thousands of years of abstraction that are part of her genetics and conscience.
"Weaving in the Andes is not just weaving; it is maintaining a dialogue with the origin. It is a very efficient communication system between the beginning of life and this present moment. Weaving is harnessing the information of the cosmos, recognizing ourselves as one with the divine and manifesting it with apparent simplicity in a complex Andean weaving "
“Life spins, it unravels and it spins again”
Hand spinning sheep fibers is an art. The wool rises and falls rises and falls, it rotates at speed as it winds itself around the spindle. Doing so requires a lot of skill and experience. It is beautiful to observe how the weavers spin without looking at their hands, all while they talk, take care of their flocks, walk or carry out other daily chores.
They are always ready, carrying in their “lliclla” (blanket that they carry on their backs) the wool, the spindle and the distaff. The last two are portable instruments that allow them to spin their fibers at any time of the day.
