Fiber Magic in Peru's Sacred Valley

I've been working with the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco on an event that will be happening in Peru this November (a volunteer effort on my part). I mentioned the event, El Encuentro, a few months ago in this newsletter. In the meantime, as can happen when bridging cultures as well as continents, the name has changed, the location has changed, the program has changed, even the general intent has changed. There are many good reasons for all these changes, but it has caused a bit of confusion and a different sense of how time flows in planning such a major project.

Well, here's the final word: Tinkuy de Tejedores ("tinkuy" means "gathering" in Quechua, the native language of the Peruvian highlands) will occur in the Sacred Valley near Cusco on November 5-8, 2010. There will be two days of speakers and brief presentations by weavers' groups from Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, British Columbia, and other countries. There will be two days' of hands-on workshops on natural dyeing, backstrap weaving, braiding, and other traditional crafts, taught by native weavers. There will be spin-ins, dancing and singing, and general good fellowship, language differences notwithstanding.

There will also be a tour for a limited number of North American attendees who would like to extend their stay with visits to weaving villages and archaeological sites. The focus throughout will be on cross-cultural learning and sharing. There's never been anything quite like it.

If you're interested in knowing more, send your email address to tinkuy@textilescusco.org. A registration packet is in the works. And if you're one of the host of people I meet all the time who say that Peru is on their wish-list of best textile places to go, you'll never find a better excuse.

—Linda