Children of Cusco | Book Printing Vivid Publishing

Childrenof

Cusco Photography by Amy Rorke

n arriving in Cusco, tourists are presented with wonderful photo opportunities by local children in traditional dress oering "Foto Amigo?" for a donation of spare change.

Although the anecdote and accompanying picture remain a charming memory for the visitor returning home, children are eectively choosing to pose for money rather than go to school; the lure of this easy money attracting more and more rural children away from the classroom, and resulting in a lack of future prosepects.

his little girl travelled to Cusco with her family to sell vegetables at the local market. She is from a small farming village close to the provincial border with Puno, her traditional hat reecting the style that extends through the Andes into Bolivia. Hers is a light brown colour and is secured with delicately woven sanq'apa straps adorned with white beads. Typical in children from this area, her rosy cheeks although beautiful, are sadly due to the extreme wind and cold at this altitude.

ike other villages on the outskirts of Cusco, Chocco’s community struggles to keep its agricultural way of life. Their crops keep them busy with back breaking ďŹ eld work yet only earn them about A$3 per day. A youth group from Chocco, with the help of the organisation HAMPY, are starting a cuy (guinea pig) farm in the hope to raise much needed funds for the community and eliminate dependence on imports from other areas. Cuy is a traditional and common Peruvian meat and it is not unusual to ďŹ nd them conveniently living in the corner of the kitchen at close range to the chef!

oining in on a hike against the stunning background of the Chocco mountains, Williams climbed an almost impossibly high dirt wall to show me his favourite owers. They are Kantu, the national ower of Peru; its red and yellow colour commonly seen dotted throughout the Andean countryside. Most children here do not attend school regularly but easily share a wealth of knowledge about native birds and animals, as well as point out edible or medicinal plants.

warfed by the huge Incan stones of Saqsayhauman, this little girl wears a hat made of Margarita owers, a traditional way of signifying that a young woman is single.

Her lliclla, or shawl, may be intended for every day use or for a special occasion. The birth of a child for example, is traditionally marked by the weaving of a new textile, just as the death of a loved one may be commemorated in the same way.

t the ruins of Chinchero, after giving up on his initial enterprise of trying to sell his mother’s hand-made finger puppets, I was treated to an impromptu display of patterns and animal shapes found in the surrounding Incan stones. I marvelled at the imagination of my ‘tour guide’ as he pointed out a snake, a puma's leg and an egg before quickly scurrying off in his ajotas - cheap and durable sandals made from recycled car tyres - to avoid being caught hawking by the site’s patrollers!

arco had carried his orphaned goat Juan to the Pisac market, dressed in his best Sunday clothing including his traditional Ch' ullu. This iconic hat is seen throughout the Andes - its ear aps providing warmth against the often frigid climate and its design representing images and stories of rural life.

Every village has its own weaving patterns. There are thousands of techniques, layouts, styles and practices and consequently when a villager travels, their village of origin can usually be identiďŹ ed.

ain-fed agriculture remains the mainstay of the local economy in Amaru, one of 6 Quechua villages south of Pisac in the Sacred Valley. Most notably, an astounding 1,200 dierent varieties of potato are harvested by the local people here, who walk or crowd into the back of trucks for a bumpy journey to sell their wares each Sunday at the Pisac market. These two were there in their traditional dress - oering a glimpse into the richness of their culture. Annalie wears a typical baby bonnet made of tied up pieces of colourful fabric while her sister Jessica sells bunches of fresh chamomile.

fter collecting a large bundle of grass used to feed the family’s cuys, this little girl did not hesitate to add her little brother to the load on her back after he had tripped over on the steep, rocky path from the ruins of Tipon. Even with such a heavy load, her K'eperina - the large rectangular cloth around her shoulders - kept him well secured as she expertly navigated the way home, passing me with a sweet smile and friendly greeting while her brother nodded o to sleep.

anu Biosphere Reserve is synonymous with wildlife, but the area oers much more. Manu is also an important part of Peru's great cultural diversity. The reserve is a true cultural mosaic, closely tied to nature - Amazonian indigenous groups living in voluntary isolation and Quechua inhabitants continuing to practice their ancient pastoral traditions and maintain their rich folklore. There are ďŹ ve Indigenous groups in Manu and although they often wear Western-style clothing, each one has its own language, harvesting techniques, hunting and ďŹ shing practices, religious rituals and medicine.

sing a legacy of techniques and knowledge more than 2,000 years old, Peruvian weaving owes its quality to the patience, knowledge and skill of the weaver, rather than instruments used. Sitting close together on the ground using traditional back strap looms, weavers evoke the natural spirit of community when sharing stories of their lives and dreams while they work. It can take up to a full week of careful concentration on design and colour to create a small panel of cloth and even the fastest weavers may take up to 15 days, working 7 hours a day to accomplish their piece.

Peruvian textiles honour Pachamama, the Mother Earth, and express appreciation for the process of growth, cycles of generation, and the concept of our relatedness to the natural world.

CHASKA INTI - This weaving is called ‘Stars of the Sun’ and represents the intrinsic nature of universal elements in a persons daily life. This pattern specifically represents humility - how the sun is at the centre of the universe and all that surrounds will always be less luminous.

MAYU - In this intricate design the ‘mayu qenqo’ or meandering river, forms whirlpools known as ‘ñawi’ or eyes. A river flows across the landscape adapting itself to the terrain, seeking the path of least resistance. This design reminds us that as human beings we must also adapt to life's challenges if we are to be successful.

QOWI - Cuys or guinea pigs are raised with great care by farmers inside the family home. Cuys are valued primarily for their meat but are said to have healing abilities. The action of passing the cuy over the body is believed not only to detect ailments but also to cure them.

TIKA - Tika means flower and this design is also known as Muyu Tika, or round flower - an image inviting us to open our eyes to the beauty around us.

WAKA ÑAW - This simple design is inspired by the cows large eyes, and is normally used to unite two different weavings. It can be seen in the shawls woven by farmers in the mountains to protect themselves from the intense cold during the winter.

JAKAQU - This delicate motif is a geometric representation of the Jakaqu - a red naped, insect feeding bird seen in the vicinity of the village of Chinchero during the sowing of the crops. The spirit behind this design is one of new beginnings, since the bird appears during this spring season.

MALLKI - This figure is a homage to trees, especially the ‘Kewña’ which grows in abundance in the Ccollana community. This design is used primarily in the Ch' ullu for men and children. This traditional Andean hat protects against the harsh cold and wind in the region.

PICHICHU - The Pichichu is a small bird from the Sacred Valley. Its mythology is said to represent a flying spirit which cares for the souls of children who have passed away, carrying them to God and protecting both their sweetness and innocence. This weaving is used in clothes during children’s first years and can be seen in the borders of young girls traditional skirts.

TULLI - This is a special pattern used to border many textiles, but especially those called Unkúñas blankets women use to carry babies on their backs during their first few years. This type of constant contact provides emotional security and creates a permanent bond between mother and child.

KAPISQENQA - Weavers represent paths by weaving crookedly, copying the curves of roads and representing the possibility of travel. For villagers, a long voyage requires much preparation and offerings to Pachamama or Mother Earth, from whom they seek permission to leave their community. This is shown to them by a sign of approval - either in a cloud formation, lightning or thunder - which when seen provides assurance they can proceed on their journey.

hank you Firstly I would like to thank the people from Cusco for their hospitality, to Rider Zuñiga for translating to the kids in Quechua and to Fabiola Rozas for being first to convince me that this project was a good idea!

A special thanks to José Guzman from Casa San Blas Boutique Hotel.

To my Dad who along with his continued support, replaced my stolen camera mid-way through this project. To my best friends Cathy and Dan for their friendship and love, and always providing a home when I’m in Perth.

Thank you to the financial contributors in the initial stage Michelle Willard, Annette Gardner, Bradley Pope, Elaine - and especially to Gilberto Medina.

Childrenof

Cusco

100% of the sale of this book will be given to Peru's Challenge O.N.G (Peruvian Registration No: 1100 1558) , a not-for-profit organisation working with volunteers to create opportunities for children living in the Andes of Peru in South America.

Since 2003 they have helped nearly 1000 families, and started to educate over 500 children in four different communities.

www.peruschallenge.com

Top right: A beautiful Cusquenian ‘model’ Bottom right: Overlooking the city Below: I asked, “So who has the longest tongue?!” Fun times in Cusco.