Patacancha

I'm a bit behind on my posts so I may do a couple today. There's so much to write about and not nearly enough time to be online, not to mention the super slow connection when uploading photos. I'd much prefer to wait until I can upload photos as I do each post because I think the pictures say it all. Although not a single picture can do the scenery any justice.

Last weekend we were fortunate enough to take a quick day trip up the mountain to visit one of the Sacred Valley communities. We took a 45 minute uphill van ride to the highland community of Patacancha. Patacancha is one of the communities that Awamaki works with to provide assistance to the female weavers. Awamaki provides a store front in Ollantaytambo to sell their amazing works of art for a fair price.

What has happened to these communities is that once the monetary system was introduced to these predominantly agricultural communities, and as the tourists have flooded into the area over the last several decades, the men from the communities leave the farming lifestyle that they've always known to become porters, tour guides and taxi drivers to make money. This leaves the women of the community alone to tend to the farms, their homes and their children. Their weaving technique has been passed down from generation to generation and their woven goods are a way for these women to bring in income to their families as well.

The moment I arrived at Patacancha and met the weavers, my eyes caught a glimpse of an adorable little hat. I got to know Jesusa who made the hat and her adorable little daughter Marta. I just had to buy the hat for Max to wear someday. I asked Jesusa if I might take a couple of pictures of her and Marta so that I could remember who made the hat.

These are the photos I took from this visit. These women don't have cameras of their own, so our guide explained to us that if I had the opportunity to print up the photos I'd taken, that Jesusa would cherish a copy, especially the photos I had taken of her daughter. I plan to have prints made and sent to Awamaki as soon as I return home.

I showed Jesusa some pictures I had on my camera of Phil, Morgan, Gomez and even an ultrasound picture of little Max. She was confused when I told her that Max was my first baby because she thought that Morgan was also my daughter. I explained that yes, although Morgan was technically my daughter, she actually had a different mother and that I was Morgan's step-mother. This took quite a bit of explaining because the concept of divorce alone is hard for them to grasp in their culture, let alone step-families. She was utterly confused by the fact that Morgan lives at our house and also at her mother's house. Oh, and never mind the fact that I am 31 and having my first baby! Jesusa is 20 and has a 2 year old. To her, I'm ancient to be having my first baby!