TEXTILES PROJECT OF YACHAY WASI

by Luis Delgado Hurtado, President of Yachay Wasi

The project is located in the communities of Ayallacta (Santo Domingo) and Acopia, in the province of Acomayo, department of Cuzco - Peru. The beneficiaries of the Project are the 500 women which belong to the 19 Clubs of Mothers of the district of Acopia and the locality of Ayallacta.

To begin with, I must mention the following, that studies for this project must be based on three fundamental points. first - the social status of each person in my village (Acopia) second - the social structure in which each person accomplishes his/her progress third - method according to the economy for an equal distribution, an economic and social development inside what is the field of textiles in the Andean world and for the revitalization of this type of textiles.

Yachay Wasi Textiles Project in the Andean village of Acopia has multi purposes: Transmit the ancient knowledge and techniques of traditional weaving Recuperate the textile culture of our ancestors and preserve their textile idiosyncrasies Reevaluate and preserve the tradition of dyes which is very rich in its content, mainly in what is referred as natural dyes which were developed in antiquity and that have not been preserved in actuality. The account for this small project is indefinite as it will produce 50% for conservation and 50% for commercial purposes. But in this manner, we are attempting to create an economy which can compete in national and international markets.

Our objective is cultural as a proposal to revitalize the culture of textiles of our ancestors: the Inkas. Also it is educational as a proposal to integrate the new generations in the artisan activity It is economic as it can eradicate poverty thru the utilization of main d'oeuvre of women and men and even the new generations of the Andean world.

Push productive capacities thru production of items of clothing such as ponchos, mantas, scarves, vests, gloves, hats, blankets etc… Anything that can be done on looms will be done as it was done in antiquity. Create a work center for communal and individual work to generate income for the domestic economy. To profit reasonably from the wool resources of the region where exist herds of alpacas, llamas, vicuñas, guanacos and also sheep.