Textiles from the remote villages - Kutimunki helping the people of Peru and you.

From the diversity of cultures within Peru comes a diversity of textiles whether refering to colour, size, product or material. Kutimunki has been in search of producers from the coastal regions to the top of the Andes and as a result can offer you the best Peru has to offer. There is a large variation in price depending on the material used and whether they are hand or machine woven.

Tapisteries, wall hangings, floor rugs, tableclothes, bags, hammocks and much more

The departments best-known for weavings include Ayacucho, Puno, Cusco, Junín, Apurímac and Lima. Cusco decoration includes elements such as the tika, representing the potato flower, and the sojta, a geometric design that symbolizes the harvest cycle. The oldest textiles to date were found in the Huaca Prieta Temple in Chicama, dating back more than 4,000 years.

In their colourful textiles, the ancient Peruvians reveal that they were skilled at the processes of dyeing, weaving and painting. They obtained dyes predominately from plants, as well as from some minerals and animals. These resources together with the variety of naturally coloured native cotton fibre and camelid wool, that the ancient Peruvians knew how to exploit, permitted them to obtain a wide a range of colors.

The ancient Peruvians also knew how to use certain chemical substances and additives that influenced the resistance of the colour during the dyeing process. Most dyes do not fix directly to the fibre and require these substances to do so. These chemical compounds which also affect the final colour include several types of aluminium, salts, copper, iron, plant ashes, lime, tannin, urine and vinegar.

Textiles flourished in the Wari and Tiahuanaco empires, the Incan empire and during the colonial and the little-known 19th century Republican period, with the focus being on the Ayacucho region. In recent years Ayacucho has specialized in weft and warp weavings featuring abstract motifs, becoming a major producer of textiles today. Modern Peruvian textiles have inherited a legacy of an ancient pre-Hispanic tradition developed across the country. Striking examples are the Paracas blankets and Inca and Wari weavings from Ayacucho.

Ayacucho confronted the cruelest violence between the government and a terrorism group controlling the territory during the 1980's and 90's.  In 2000, more than 70 000 innocent people lost their lives at the hands of terrorists and the military.  This violence has had a major effect on the people of Ayacucho as well as the art.  Today, these problems are over, but the scars remain.  The art has been converted into a new source of hope for future generations.  In the art, these generations can find a new way to reinforce their creativity and enhance the self esteem of their region.

Kutimunki is working to assist the people of Peru through exports and you can be assured that by purchasing products from Kutimunki that you are not only helping the people of Peru financially but aiding the continuation of ancient cultural practices for generations to come.

In our shipments to Australia of 100% wool Andean tapestries from Ayacucho are made by Sr. Miguel Tello Oncebay who has been weaving for many years and learned from his father. The designs he uses reflect the animals, plants, landscape that he lives in, the Andean Universe and beliefs from his daily life. He uses techniques that combine the ancient with the contemporary. With the assistance of Kutimunki and you through your purchase he is now passing his knowledge and skills on to the next generation.

Purchase textiles from Kutimunki and help the people of Peru.

Peruvian Textiles have arrived at Mexican Living

For more information on our products and prices please contact us.