Chinchero Legacy - alpaca wool poncho

“The center's most important work is with the Young Weavers Groups. Every Saturday, children and young people get together in the community weaving centers to learn from their elders." Vertical bands of earth tones distinguish this classic poncho for men. Artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco work with ancestral techniques to create fashion for today and always. Woven by hand of fine alpaca wool, prized by the ancient Inca for its lightweight warmth, its colors come from natural dyes. Geometric motifs pay tribute to the traditions of Chinchero, where time seems to have stood still for centuries. The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the color combinations, and the