Quechua textiles are much more than pieces of woven fabric. They embody stories, experiences and memories for Andean people in profound ways. Threads of Peru is passionate about being part of this living, artisanal tradition of culture and identity in Peru.
Margaret Lyons travelled to Peru many years ago, and during one of these holidays she bought a weaving that she loved, mounting it on her living room wall. In 2014 she contacted our team to enquire whether we would be able to contact a weaver from our network to create a similar, complementary piece.
We said that we could – but little did we know that the special story of reconnection with Peru would result in a connection with the same artisan of her original textile! Bacilia Condori Quispe, an especially talented member of the Munay Urpi weaving association of Huaran, smiled in recognition when she looked at the photos from Margaret’s home.
Bacilia also confided in us at the time that she is now working exclusively with textiles, as she no longer keeps a farm or animals, and the additional work from weaving this custom manta (blanket) was much appreciated by her and her family.
With years of ancient and familial knowledge at her fingertips, Bacilia wove an inspiringly beautiful piece that we sent to Margaret in Sheffield, England. Soon after, she wrote “My manta arrived safely yesterday and it is lovely. I am delighted with it. My special thanks to Bacilia for interpreting what I needed so well.”
Our team at Threads of Peru makes daily, small contributions to the preservation of Quechua culture, seeing a brighter future for the tradition and its practitioners in doing so. We could not feel more rewarded than in moments like these, connecting Margaret and Bacilia, and creating memories that will be cherished for generations.