Calendar Chuspa of the Ancestors

Description

The Calendar Chuspa of the Ancestors carries two traditions in one object. The chuspa — a small sacred pouch used throughout the Andes for centuries — here meets the living calendar of Taquile, whose ancient pictograph symbols run down the center of the bag marking when it is time to plant, to harvest, to marry, and to feast.

Hand spun and woven from alpaca fiber on the island of Taquile in Lake Titicaca, each bag is colored with natural dyes that give each piece its characteristic depth of color. The fringe is commercially sourced.

The weaving tradition of Taquile is recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity's Intangible Cultural Heritage — a community where the knowledge of how to spin, weave, and read cloth has been passed from hand to hand across generations. This bag is a direct expression of that living tradition.

• 9 inch x 10 inch
• Body and strap hand spun and woven with natural dyes