This little girl is wearing an example of a simple but colorful traditional hat, known as a montera. Traditionally, it is said that one could identify which village a woman was from based on the type of hat that she wore. Hats continue to be popular, but styles increasingly vary and different examples can be seen throughout the region.
Segundo BThe Inca Bag
Cloth identified people, both by locality and social rank. Each area in the Andes produced a distinct type of clothing, and the Incas insisted people wear their local native dress – or risk severe punishment. The Incas needed to identify people from diverse ethnic groups, since whole populations were often transplanted to different parts of the empire to discourage rebellion. Additionally, subject peoples often had to travel great distances to work on public projects, such as roads and bridges.
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Weaving is one of the oldest traditions in the world. In fact, since 2500 BCE it has been an important part of Inca culture. It sits at the very core of the Inca culture, shaping personal and regional identities, and acting as a form of inter-regional communication. Some people vest their entire sense of personal identity in their occupation as a weaver, stating that without weaving they would no longer have an identity. Inca bags are made following this tradition. Variations in style of dress, use of color and woven designs can distinguish people from different communities or regions at a glance. The weaving tradition also embodies a wealth of traditional knowledge, from techniques of spinning and weaving, to...
Within Inca society was a special class called acllyaconas, or “chosen women”. At around age ten, these young women were selected for their physical beauty and sent to schools to learn spinning, weaving, cooking, and other domestic duties. Those considered physically perfect were sacrificed to the Inca gods. Those who were not as perfect served as temple attendants or secondary wives of the Incan king. Some became mamaconas, or teachers of other chosen women. One of the most important duties of the chosen women was the production of cloth. Another was the production of “chicha”, a cloudy fermented beer made primarily from corn. Although they had no personal freedom and were strictly controlled by the government, the chosen women were...
