On Saturday I went on a tour of the traditional artisan villages in the Mantaro Valley, around Huancayo. Our first stop was to the village of Cochas, where there is a rich and long tradition of gourd carving. The gourds are shipped into the mountains from the coastal areas where they are grown. Once here, they are dried and scorched. The artisans then carve them with woodworking tools.
Color is applied by burning the surface with a torch.
The designs can be quite elaborate, and often tell traditional stories of life in the countryside, such as this design, which depicts the process of traditional weaving - shearing and spinning of the wool, and the weaving itself.
We also stopped in the village of Hualhuas, which is know for its weaving traditions. I got to try my hand at spinning wool, and we got to peek into the weaving studios where much of the work here is produced.
I try spinning wool
Naturally dyed yarn - dyes are made from plants, fruits and vegetables found in the area.
Looms and yarns in the weaving studio.
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