PRESERVING TRADITION OF CUSCO'S TRADITIONAL TEXTILES

The Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (CTTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the rich textile traditions of Cusco’s indigenous Quechua weavers. Its roots trace back to the 1970s when a group of women in Chinchero, led by Nilda Callañaupa, began working together to revive their ancestral weaving techniques. Faced with the decline of traditional designs and the rise of synthetic materials, these artisans took it upon themselves to safeguard their cultural heritage. In 1996, this grassroots movement evolved into the CTTC, officially becoming an NGO in 1998. The organization partnered with weaving communities across the Cusco region, helping artisans recover lost techniques, build weaving centers, and connect with global markets. Through education, workshops, and international collaborations, the CTTC has empowered weavers to take pride in their heritage and share their artistry with the world. Today, the CTTC works with ten weaving communities, runs an educational program, publishes books, and organizes events like Tinkuy: A Gathering of Weavers. By teaching younger generations and fostering cultural appreciation, the CTTC ensures that Cusco’s textile traditions continue to thrive.

 

MEET THE WEAVERS

 

ACCHA ALTA: Weaving Heritage at the Heights of the Andes

 

Nestled at 12,930 feet above sea level in the province of Calca, Accha Alta is the highest weaving community partnered with the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (CTTC). Overlooking the ancient Incan granaries of Ankasmarka, the weavers of Accha Alta preserve centuries-old textile traditions while also cultivating heirloom potatoes using ancestral farming techniques. The Munay Pallay Awaqkuna Weavers Association, founded in 1998, has played a crucial role in reviving traditional weaving practices. Once reliant on synthetic fibers, the weavers now exclusively use handspun alpaca, llama, and sheep wool, naturally dyed to produce intricate textiles. Their ponchos and llikllas are known for their fine craftsmanship and unique embellishments. Accha Alta is also famous for its distinctive chullo hats, knitted with a five-needle technique and adorned with decorative qhurpus (bobble-like knots), beads, and sequins. The weavers’ mastery extends to recreating pre-Columbian textile techniques, showcasing their deep understanding of Andean weaving traditions. The most common technique used is ley (supplementary warp-faced weaving), which allows for complex geometric designs in bold red, white, orange, and purple hues. Today, the weavers of Accha Alta take immense pride in their heritage, ensuring their textile art remains a vital part of Quechua identity.

 






ACOPIA: Reviving a Weaving Legacy


Nestled in Acomayo province at 12,188 ft, Acopia is famed for its Four Lakes and cultural heritage. Once nearly lost, weaving is being revived through the Cuatro Lagunas Weavers Association, established in 2006. While agriculture dominates daily life, artisans are reclaiming intricate techniques. Acopia is known for sturdy ponchos, phullu blankets, and lliklla (double-sided blankets) featuring the organo q’enqo zigzag motif in cochineal red and natural grey. Their ceramic-supported drop spindle technique speeds up spinning, and men weave bayeta (coarse wool fabric) on pedal looms. Through these efforts, Acopia’s textile heritage is thriving once more, ensuring its artistry endures for future generations.



CHAHUAYTIRE: Preserving an Incan Weaving Legacy

Inka Pallay Weavers: Guardians of Tradition Perched at 12,631 ft in Pisac, Chahuaytire is a historic highland community along an ancient Inca trade route, home to cave paintings, chullpas (pre-Inca tombs), and colonial chapels. Since 1999, the Inka Pallay Weaving Association has preserved intricate weaving traditions. Men craft ley ponchos (supplementary warp-faced weave), while women create lliklla (blankets) and accessories using pumasillu and chilis (complementary warp-faced weave). The fish rib cloth technique, blending S- and Z-spun yarns, adds texture and strength. Chahuaytire textiles are celebrated for their vivid colors, fine finishes, and historic reproductions, including San Martín’s poncho.

Festival: Tinkuy Chiuchillani During Comadres Day, men mark community boundaries before a mountaintop festival, where dancers, musicians, and villagers in traditional textiles honor their Andean heritage.



CHINCHERO: Birthplace of a Weaving Renaissance

At 12,342 ft, Chinchero, known as the "birthplace of the rainbow," offers breathtaking views of the Urubamba mountains. This historic town, home to Tupaq Yupanqui ruins and a colonial church, is a key stop for travelers en route to Machu Picchu.

Chinchero Textiles: Since the 1960s, the Away Riqcharicheq Weaving Association has revived ancestral designs, making Chinchero world-renowned for its vibrant textiles. Weavers specialize in complementary warp-faced weaving, creating reversible designs, and the ñawi awapa border technique, which reinforces edges while weaving.

Distinctive Features

Lliklla (blankets) with signature luraypu motifs

Reintroduced natural dyes like indigo, cochineal red, and chilka green

Traditional vs. commercial textiles: Some retain classic designs, while others incorporate new techniques for broader appeal

Easily accessible to visitors, Chinchero offers daily weaving and dyeing demonstrations. Stop by the weaving center between 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM to meet the artisans and explore their craft.




HUACATINCO: Weaving Tradition in the High Andes

Wiñay Awaqkuna Weavers Association
Location: Province of Quispicanchi
Altitude: 11,811 - 13,451 ft (3,600 - 4,100 m) above sea level

Huacatinco, a remote community in the Ocongate province, lies in one of the most challenging yet spiritually rich regions of Cusco. Dependent on alpacas and llamas for survival, the community faces extreme conditions, including harsh altitudes, limited government services, and scarce freshwater. Despite these challenges, Huacatinco is blessed with breathtaking landscapes, presided over by Apu Ausangate, the most revered mountain deity in the Cusco region. Each year, the Q'oyllur R'iti pilgrimage brings thousands to these sacred mountains, continuing pre-Columbian rituals of devotion, dance, and unity across the Andes.

Huacatinco Textiles

Founded in 2011, the Wiñay Awaqkuna Weaving Association partnered with CTTC to preserve Huacatinco's textile heritage. Previously, weavers struggled to sell their handmade alpaca textiles, often traveling three hours to Cusco with little success. Today, approximately 25 adult weavers and 20 youth members are reviving ancestral techniques, including natural dyeing and backstrap weaving.

Huacatinco textiles are known for handspun alpaca yarn and intricate knitted chullo (hats), heavily embellished with white bead embroidery and colorful pom-poms. Traditional clothing remains a strong part of daily life, with men wearing bayeta cloth shirts and pants, while women don pollera skirts and embroidered jackets. As weaving knowledge is rediscovered, women are transitioning from weaving scarves to creating larger, more complex blankets, ensuring their heritage endures for future generations.


MAHUAYPAMPA: Weaving Amidst Farmland

 

Nestled in the rolling hills of Maras, Mahuaypampa sits at 11,105 ft, just 50 km from Cusco. While nearby Moray and Chinchero attract visitors, Mahuaypampa remains a hidden gem, dedicated primarily to agriculture. Its fertile plains produce potatoes, beans, and cereals, while livestock farming sustains the community. Historically, Mahuaypampa was a key stop along a trade route between the coca plantations of the jungle and the highland potato fields.

Mahuaypampa Textiles

Weaving has always been secondary to farming, resulting in simpler yet striking textiles. The Virgen Inmaculada Concepción Weavers Association, formed in 2000, has worked to revive traditional techniques using natural fibers and dyes.

Key features of Mahuaypampa textiles:

  • Color Palette: Reds, pinks, purples, greens, and natural greys reflect the landscape.

  • Designs: Small, narrow patterns often placed side by side. The main motif, mayu qenqo, represents the Milky Way.

  • Signature Feature: Pasñas, a decorative center seam of multicolored triangles, symbolizes young women’s skirts.

Today, Mahuaypampa’s weavers continue to preserve their heritage, balancing their textile traditions with their deep-rooted agricultural lifestyle.

PATABAMBA: Weaving Revival in the Highlands

Perched at 12,467 ft above the Sacred Valley, Patabamba offers breathtaking views of Pisac and nearby Inca ruins. Despite being just 37.5 km from Cusco, this highland community feels remote, with its lake, grazing lands, and remnants of the ancient Qhapaq Ñan road.

Patabamba Textiles

Once nearly lost, Patabamba’s weaving tradition was revived in 2001 with the formation of the Away Paccharichiq Pallay Tika Weaving Association. Now, 40 adult and 30 youth weavers excel in spinning, weaving, and intricate pre-Columbian techniques like double weave and Paracas looping.

Key features of Patabamba textiles:

  • Lliklla (blankets): Bold red, green, blue, or pink sections with geometric designs.

  • Signature Embroidery: Floral, bird, and fish motifs in white thread on colorful fabric borders.

  • Pre-Columbian Influence: Woven designs resembling Inca tocapu patterns.

Patabamba’s weavers have mastered rare techniques, preserving their heritage with unmatched skill and artistry.

 



PITUMARCA: The Textile Capital of the Andes

Nestled in the highlands of Cusco’s Canchis province, Pitumarca is a hub of Andean textile mastery. Known as the Textile Capital of the Andes, this district boasts a rich weaving tradition dating back to pre-Columbian times. Beyond its famed Rainbow Mountain and ancient Wari ruins, Pitumarca is home to the Munay Ticlla Weaving Association, which has worked since 1997 to revive nearly lost weaving techniques.

The town’s artisans specialize in Ticlla, a rare discontinuous warp and weft technique once thought extinct, originating from the Paracas and Nazca cultures. Alongside this, they excel in complementary and supplementary warp-faced weaves, intricate embroidery, and chullo (hat) knitting with hand-spun alpaca yarn.

A legend speaks of an Inca princess who brought her weaving expertise to Pitumarca, but history ties its heritage to the Wari civilization, which absorbed textile knowledge from the coastal Paracas and Nazca.

Today, Pitumarca’s weavers continue to preserve and innovate, ensuring that these centuries-old techniques remain a vibrant part of Andean culture.

SALLAC: The Art of Embroidery and Ikat

Perched above Urcos in Cusco’s Quispicanchi province, Santa Cruz de Sallac is home to the Watay Weaving Association, known for its intricate embroidery and ikat (watay) techniques. Once bound by the oppressive hacienda system, the community has reclaimed its land and cultural heritage, reviving traditional weaving since partnering with CTTC in 2004.

Sallac weavers stand out for their embroidered textiles, using light pink or white sections as canvases for vibrant, hand-stitched designs inspired by local flora and fauna. They also excel in ikat (watay), where tied knots resist dye, creating striking pre-dyed patterns—most famously the chakana (Inca cross).

Beyond their artistry, Sallac’s weavers embody a strong sense of unity, gathering weekly for communal work and shared meals. Their textiles, rich in history and innovation, continue to honor and evolve the Andean weaving tradition.


SANTO TOMAS: Weaving Courage and Tradition

High in Cusco’s Chumbivilcas province, Santo Tomás thrives at 12,067 ft, where the Korilazos (brave men) uphold their legacy of horsemanship and resilience. Isolated by rugged terrain, their culture blends Spanish and Andean traditions, seen in their horseback rituals, bullfights, and distinctive clothing—leather boots, embroidered skirts, and woolen jackets.

The Surphuy Weaving Association, partnered with CTTC since 2007, has revived natural dyes and fibers, crafting textiles that vividly depict horses, riders, and bulls using complementary warp-faced weaving. These textiles shine during the Santísima Virgen de Natividad festival each September, where elegantly dressed riders parade their finest horses in a dazzling display of skill and tradition.

Santo Tomás weaves its identity, history, and artistry into every thread, preserving the spirit of the Korilazo for generations to come.


To learn more or support their work, visit CTTC’s website