Once our gear is stowed, we board our boat for Taquile, a hilly island we can see in the distance and about 28 miles east of Puno. There is something so compelling to me about living simply ... even though I can't claim that in my ordinary life. I love road trips, living out of our small camper. I love backpacking trips, where all that we have for seven to ten days is what we can carry on our back. And, I love experiencing indigenous cultures that have not become seduced by western consumerism. |
Taquile, we learn, was named after a Spanish settler who made all the indigenous inhabitants pay taxes for living on the island that had always been their home. It is a narrow (about 1 mile) and long (3.5 miles) island that was used as a prison during the Spanish Colonial period and into the 20th century because of its inaccessibility and 7-degree celsius water temperature, which makes it almost impossible to stay in the water for more than a very few minutes.
The harbor where we land is by no means as sophisticated as the one on Amantani, and similarly, there is no motorized vehicles. Thankfully, we are here only for a few hours as the climb to the village is steep and long, and hot in the late morning sun.
The harbor where we land is by no means as sophisticated as the one on Amantani, and similarly, there is no motorized vehicles. Thankfully, we are here only for a few hours as the climb to the village is steep and long, and hot in the late morning sun.
In 1970, the island became the property of the Taquile people, whose population today is around 2,000. Taquile’s highest point is 13,290 ft above sea level, and the main village is at 12,960 ft. Pre-Inca ruins are found on the highest part of the island and agricultural terraces on hillsides. From its eastern slopes you can see the white snow peaks of the Bolivian mountains. The inhabitants, known as Taquileños, speak southern Quechua.
The island is especially known for its handicraft tradition, which is regarded as among the highest quality handicrafts not only in Peru, but also in the world. In fact, Taquile and its textile arts were proclaimed "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. Knitting is exclusively performed by males, starting at age eight. The women exclusively make yarn and weave. In one shop I bought a beautiful woven scarf that was produced by the allyu Machaca on Taquile. The yarn was spun to a thread consistency, then naturally dyed with local plant material to soft gorgeous colors.
Their society based on community collectivism (allyu) and on the Inka moral code: ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhilla, (do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy). The economy is based on fishing, terraced farming horticulture based on corn and potato cultivation, and tourist-generated income from the roughly 40,000 tourists who visit each year. |
Agriculturally, the island is divided into six sectors or suyus for crop rotation purposes. There are no llamas or alpacas on Taquile because they would ruin the crops.
Culture is very much alive on Taquile, which can be seen in the traditional clothes everyone wears. Many of the men we see wear wide belts to carry heavy loads and keep them from getting hernias. Since there are no vehicles on this island, all transporting of goods from boat deliveries in the harbors is up the steep hillsides to the villages. Curiously, young couples are required to have a three to four year trial marriage. If they get pregnant, they must get married. Divorce is not recognized on the island, and there is a 90% marriage rate. |
Mid-afternoon, we hike down the hillside to our boat, which is now moored at a larger and more accessible harbor.
Taquile is such a sweet island. I'm sorry our time here is so short. This is a place I'd love to return. I place to loose oneself in inward reflection. A place to rediscover an old passion for weaving, natural dying, and moving at a much slower pace.
Onwards to Uros, the “floating islands.” These small, man-made islands are constructed by the Uros (or Uru) people from layers of cut totora, a thick, buoyant reed that grows abundantly in the shallows of Lake Titicaca. The Uru harvest the reeds that naturally grow on the lake's banks to make the islands by continuously adding reeds to the surface.
According to legend, the Uru people originated in the Amazon Basin and migrated to the area of Lake Titicaca in the pre-Columbian era, where they were oppressed by the local population and unable to secure land of their own. Their solution was to build reed islands that could be moved into deep water or to different parts of the lake, as necessary, for greater safety from their hostile neighbors on land.
Golden in color, many of the islands measure about 50 by 50 feet — the largest are roughly half the size of a football field. Each island typically has several thatched houses that belong to members of a single extended family. Some of the islands have watchtowers and other buildings, all constructed of reeds.
Golden in color, many of the islands measure about 50 by 50 feet — the largest are roughly half the size of a football field. Each island typically has several thatched houses that belong to members of a single extended family. Some of the islands have watchtowers and other buildings, all constructed of reeds.
Historically, most of the Uros islands were located near the middle of the lake, about 9 mi from the shore. However, in 1986, after a major storm devastated the islands, many Uros rebuilt closer to shore. About 1,000 Uru live on an archipelago of 50 or more of these floating reed islands, clustering in the western corner of the lake near Puno.
Back in Puno, after showering and changing into fresh clothes, several of us took a taxi to the Plaza de Armas. I did a bit of shopping along Lima Avenue before meeting with others at del Bruhn (The Owl) for pizza.
Back in Puno, after showering and changing into fresh clothes, several of us took a taxi to the Plaza de Armas. I did a bit of shopping along Lima Avenue before meeting with others at del Bruhn (The Owl) for pizza.