Pacchanta community is located on the slopes of Mount “Ausangate”, 4200 above sea level. Its inhabitants, who dedicate to the breeding of alpacas and the cultivation of native tubercles, are knit experts. They make their vestments with alpaca fiber and use the meat as a source of protein. Native potatoes, fresh or transformed traditionally into “chuño” and “moraya”, provide them the carbohydrates they need to fight cold and hard work.
Knitting is so much more than a commercial activity, it is the reflection of andean and amazonian communities way to understand the world. Through this activity is shown their understanding of nature, its uses, its ways of living and also their rituals. It is a knowledge that is pass on generation to generation and that doesn’t limit itself to the art of knitting but also to the learning of different techniques and plants to dye the wool that is obtained from the alpacas that live in their territories.
If you are interested in experimenting these cultural manifestations, we highly recommend you to take a stroll around Pacchanta community in Cusco, where you will enter into direct contact with the locals and meet their millenary traditions, one of which is Knitting. You’ll see how the people of this remote place in the Andes live and work, surrounded by spectacular scenery and completely involved in nature. An Experience that will enrich your comprehension of Andean Culture. Plus, you will get to help in the traditional agricultural labors of seeding, harvest or any other activity that may be spontaneously happening at the day of your arrival.
We recommend contacting a tour operator to guarantee total enjoy of this place and its people. ¡Have a nice trip!
