Raising of sheep, llamas and alpacas. Surely this is agriculture, not weaving? Not really – it is a vital part of the weaving process.
“The raising of fibre-producing animals is the foundation of traditional Andean weaving.”
The women and children of these communities tend their sheep, llamas, and alpacas, shearing them usually once a year, thereby collecting the fleece which is utilized for weavings. In poorer communities, it's not uncommon for the family to sell the entire fleece directly to the market, leaving nothing or very little for the women to weave with. Our project hopes to show Andean people (women and men) the value of retaining some of the fleece, because after adding value through the weaving process, they will see greater benefits from selling weavings than simply selling wool.
Like the llama, the alpaca is a relative of the camel. It is also calm and aloof, highly intelligent and easy to train. While generally mild mannered, an unwary stranger might find an alpaca unfriendly, as they also tend to spit if they are threatened or handled by an unfamiliar person.
There are two types of alpaca, the alpaca suri, which has a very long, mop-like coat, and the alpaca huacaya whose coat is shorter and curly - like that of a sheep. The huacaya is much hardier, and therefore more common in the Andes. The alpaca does not have hooves, and its padded feet do little damage to the turf of its range. Likewise, the alpaca chews off plant matter from the ground without pulling or damaging the roots. It is does not bother trees and in generally considered to be of 'low-impact' to the environment when compared to other herding animals such as sheep or goats.
The alpaca has been domesticated for over 5,000 years and was the focus of specific breeding programs since ancient times. The alpaca is generally smaller than the llama, and unlike its cousin, was never asked to carry cargo. The alpaca has long been bred for fiber, and well before the construction of the Great Pyramids in Egypt, nobles of pre-Inca civilization in Peru were enjoying fine garments made of woven alpaca fleece, and their wealth was then measured largely in numbers of alpaca.
The alpaca was still held in the highest regard when the Incas came to power in the Andes over 3,000 years later. However, when the Spanish conquered the Incas nearly 500 years ago, the invaders were ignorant to the virtues of the alpaca and arrogantly replaced them with their own sheep. The alpaca was used primarily as a food source and its numbers dwindled. The alpaca might have faded from history, were it not for the fact that the vanquished Inca, who retreated into the mountains, took with them their prized little animals, and the alpaca survived. Today, there are approximately 3 million alpaca living in the Andes.
Alpaca hair is difficult to work with as it is finer, softer and more "slippery" in texture than sheep or llama wool. Alpaca hair is also much harder to dye as it takes longer for the colours to penetrate it. This fiber is stronger and warmer than sheep's wool, and is second only to mohair in strength. It equals or surpasses typical thermic characteristics of cashmere and mohair. Alpaca fiber is naturally hypoallergenic and less irritating to the skin than sheep's wool. Alpaca is an oilier fibre and woven alpaca is water resistant and highly breathable. It is washable, shrinks very little, and as it is free of lanolin, it tends to resist dust. Alpaca fiber is nonflammable, and the occurs naturally in 22 colours, making the alpaca the most colour diverse fiber-producing animal on earth. Due to these desirable characteristics, and the added difficulty of working the slippery fibers, products made from alpaca are generally more valuable than those made of sheep's wool.
The most valuable alpaca fiber is that of baby alpaca, which is softer and finer than the fleece of the adult animal. Baby alpaca is not from a baby animal, but it is the first shear on a young animal.
The Sheep
The sheep of Peru consist mainly of three types, Corriedale, Junin and Criollo. Of the estimated 15 million sheep in Peru, 60% are Criollo (also called Pampa, Columbian, Creole or Chilludo) and these are the type best adapted to the High Andean environment, and the ones commonly kept by indigenous communities. These sheep developed over hundreds of years, living in the mountain regions of much of South America and believed to be descendants of the Spanish Merinos and Churro, which were introduced in the mid 16th Century. It is unclear wether there were existing sheep varieties in Peru before the Spanish arrived, and if there were, they may have played a role in the development of the present day genetic makeup of the Criollo. These sheep are small to medium sized (weighing 30-50 lbs) and hardy. The rams have horns, and this breed is typically white, black, light brown or a blend of these shades.
Although their wool production is low (approx. 1kg per year/per animal) their numbers are enormous when compared to the alpaca. Therefore sheep's wool is the most commonly used fiber in the region, and most traditional Andean weaving is made from the wool of sheep. It is easier to work (weave and dye). The wool is extremely durable and warm, and the resulting cloth tends to be heavier than that produced with Alpaca fiber.
The Llama
The llama is an intelligent animal, which is easy to train. It often seems to maintain an 'aloof' manner, but being a herd animal, is very social and requires the company of other herding animals or humans to be comfortable. The llama is generally calm, and not flustered easily, making it an excellent companion for sheep, who often graze on the same land. On the other hand, like the camel, it can be stubborn if annoyed and will spit food if threatened.
A relative of the camel, the llama is an important domestic animal, numbering over a million in Peru today. The llama has been vital to Peruvian culture since ancient times, and is considered key to the success of Inca civilization, having been widely used for wool and the transportation of cargo. The llama can carry loads of 150-200 lbs or more for extended distances. In Peru today, llamas are still mainly used for transport, but their coat is not typically used for weaving, as it is now considered too coarse. Their hair is sometimes used for making rope, or other utilitarian items such as mattress material for sleeping in the cold. Llamas have a double coat which is actually hair, not wool. The llama is still used widely for meat in South America. its hide is used for a wide variety of purposes in indigenous culture, and even its droppings are used to burn for fuel. The llama herds of Peru thrive in the High Andes at altitudes from 3500-5000 meters (1100-1600 feet).
Shearing & Washing
Shearing of alpaca is done once every year or two, depending on the health of the animals, quality of the fleece, and the intended purpose of the fiber. Sheep are shorn every two or three years. Shearing usually takes place in January through April. This allows the animals to time through the warmer months to re-grow enough of its coat in time for the onset of the colder months. The shearing is carried out by hand using scissor-like shears. It can take up to three people to shear an alpaca, two holding the legs and one doing the shearing. Restraining the legs is key to controlling the animals. The animals are not harmed in the process, but the intelligent alpaca does not like to be shorn and thus does everything in its power to escape. The sheep, who are smaller and less intelligent are easier to restrain and shear. Once the wool is removed, the soiled or 'nappy' wool is separated and used for purposes other than spinning and weaving.
This alpaca was shorn this season and is starting to regrow.
In one of our interviews we were told of an Easter time shearing of alpaca; a festive occasion called "Llama-Chuy".
The Criollo sheep is a fairly low producer of wool, with a typical shearing amounting to between 800 grams and 1 kilogram (1.8 - 2.2 pounds). One year's growth from the alpaca can weigh from 2.25 to 4.5 kilograms (5-10 pounds).
Washing
Peru has more than one kind of naturally-occurring plant detergents, which are traditionally used to wash shorn wool and fiber. In the Sacred Valley, Sacha Paraqay is a root which is grated into the wash water and mixed to create a foamy lather.
Sacha Paraquay
Similarly, Illmanke is a green plant which is pounded with a rock or ground with a mortar and pestle; the resulting material is then mixed with water for the wash. Both plants produce a surprisingly effective white foamy wash water, which will clean the dirty wool in just a few minutes of vigorous hand washing. Once the wool is clean, it is hung to dry. Sheep's wool is washed before it is spun. But alpaca is spun before it is washed, as the washing process separates the fibers in the soapy water, and makes the fiber even more "slippery" and thus difficult spin.
Illmanke
Spinning
Spinning is the process of turning the raw wool and fibers, shorn from the animals, into strong, consistent useful threads. They use a drop spindle (pushka), which is similar to a wooden top' with an elongated axis. The pushka varies in size with the diameter of thread being spun. The act of spinning is puskhay - or to spin. Multiple threads are combined to form stronger ones. Single strands of thread are removed from the pushkas, combined into balls and skeins, and then spun again together.
The Weavers Accociation of Chupani doing a spinning workshop.
The process of combining threads is called plying or k'antiy. A larger version of the pushka is used to k'antiy, creating double (2 ply) or triple (3 ply) strands of yarn into thinner, stronger and more consistent yarn for weaving. They can go to 4 ply or higher, but this is less common. Alpaca fiber can be spun in much finer threads than sheep wool.
A woman from Chinchero plying her cochineal dyed wool.
“We use the word k'antiy to describe both the larger pushka, as well as the process of plying.”
~ Señora Augustina - Teacher of the capacitation workshosps in Rumira Sondormayo, Chaullacocha, and Chupani – conducted by RUFADA Peru.
It's rare to see an Andean woman or young girl without their hands busy spinning. It is a predominately feminine activity in indigenous culture, and often so commonplace as to be performed almost unconsciously. It is common, in weaving communities, for boys to learn how to spin from a young age. Men will often know how to spin, even if they don't learn to weave. Spinning is done while walking along the road, chatting with friends, watching over your children or sheep. It's a skill that people begin training in as children, and it takes years of practice to spin proficiently. Thus, spinning is a refined art in and of itself; one whose difficulty is often overlooked. Spinning is a vital part of the weaving process, as the yarn must be fine, but strong and even to be useful in weaving high-quality textiles.
A Quechua baby girl plays with her mother's pushka.
A woman from Chinchero plying her cochineal dyed wool.