Reaching a small village near Piuray, we meet Mariana, a young girl with innocent features wearing a traditional montera hat, and iliclla—black shoulder cloth—paired with a colourful vest and skirt. Walking beside her llama, Mariana explains to me how the women of Chinchero proudly wear their hand woven textiles and clothing on a daily basis, to differentiate themselves from other indigenous communities in the highlands.
The region of Chinchero, at 3,780 meters above sea level in the province of Urubamba, is home to several Quechua communities. The men farm the land and harvest potatoes, barley, and quinoa to feed their families and sell at nearby markets, while the women raise llamas and alpacas to obtain yarn to weave. Alpaca and llama threads are lanolin-free, making them soft and insulating, regardless of the climate.