Keeping Llama Wool Hand Weaving Alive…

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the site.

The art of weaving Llama wool by hand is slowly dying!!

I was inspired to develop this blog to help spread the word and create an avenue for a few small artisans to market their Llama artworks.  This site will be a work in progress that evolves over the next few months to help add value to the lives of some fine folks I met recently in several small villages in Ecuador.

During my travel adventures I have been introduced to many special people. I was influenced by one very special lady  in a huge market place in Otavalo, Ecuador, and a few families in some very tiny villages that were introduced to me by my new friends from the Peace Corp.

The villages were Tunnibumba, Carabuela, and Peguche Ecuador.

Much of the weaving industry has resorted to using mass production and mechanical looms that churn out Llama blankets and Llama Scarves at a rate of about one per minute. My observation is that these automated products lack that special uniqueness found in the hand made blankets… and it really shows!

The weavers that I meet are kind and warm people that take such pride in creating these amazing artworks! As you watch them weave you can hear them sing songs and tell stories to the children that watch in amazement. It  seems that each design has it’s own unique story. The story takes as long as the design should take to complete.

Many of the stories tell of the Andean history and culture or great deeds performed by ancestors. Other designs tell of battles, love, marriage and the cycles of nature. Really intriguing folk tales!

Now, that’s the kind of stuff that really means something go me, and I would want to pass this on to the next generation. Not so with the machine designed products.

It’s frustrating to see what’s happening to these artisans of the mountains. They are being torn apart by big business and greed.

So their you have it… my first thrust in offering help to these villages by simply telling their story.  2 months ago I had never even seen a blog let alone know how to create one.  But my one chance meeting with one old lady motivated my big butt….

My call to Action!

1. Keep this dying art alive. (no pun intended)
2. Help the Artists that take pride in their work and give some thought to the design process.
3. Support the artists that use all organic materials in the creation of these fine artworks.

Your Call to Action…

If you’re inspired to help these struggling Ecuadorian families… like I was… and enjoy unique cultural products…

Find out how you can you keep their village art alive by selecting one or two items for your family.

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