Reading Blog 2
Textiles are one of my favourite mediums to study because they are historically understudied in the West because it is traditionally seen as a “woman’s craft” and thus not worthy of being seen as “high art.” However, it was neat that the production of textiles in the Andes was not exclusively for the women to partake in. Textiles are also of affinity to me because their utilitarian purpose as garments, drapery, and blankets lends itself to various ceremonial practices that are integral to a culture. Their active role in mediating social and political exchanges is special as an art form because it isn’t static in purpose and value. The limited surviving evidence of textiles due to their decaying nature can make it occasionally difficult to weave together narratives of their uses. Most information on textiles is derived from ethnographies and other written records (that are occasionally contradictory), that for the most part seemed to be written by Spaniards who had the written Spanish language to communicate their ideas. Thus, it seemed like knowledge on Andean textiles is based in observation not directly from Indigenous communities. Knowledge of textiles is by proxy of primarily non-Indigenous voices which ties into our conversations on representation in class yesterday. Moreover, due to the difficulty in preserving textiles, having examples of Andean textiles can be quite limited. However, while we’re here in Cusco I want to see what surviving textiles I can find native to this region.I’m curious to see some of the motifs and try to identify the different matrimonial, military, political and religious uses. I wonder how indigenous textile practices have persisted and deviated in the region. I also want to learn some weaving techniques and see how potential changes in automation have altered textile production over time.The utility of sweaters in the region has made every second store around our hotel dedicated to selling wool sweaters, but by looking at the tags many sweaters seemed to be synthetic to a degree which is definitely not how they were made centuries ago. By being able to identify the historical textile motifs I hope to compare them to what I see being sold in the streets of modern Cusco. Some questions I’m pondering include: how much have textiles deviated from traditional weaving practices? Can textiles in Peru be a form of modern indigeneity? And what would that say about modern indigeneity in Peru? Textiles have historically been commodified in Peru as per the reading, so is their current commercial value to tourists a logical progression of their historically economic function?
We haven't talked enough about textiles lately and, as you say, they are a central element in Peruvian culture. However, there seem to be two narratives around them (I say this without being an expert, of course): on the one hand, the sense of continuity in the techniques and designs in Indigenous communities is highlighted, although on the other there are regrets because of what has been lost in recent centuries, due to colonization. It seems to me that the Capitalist Market settles in those interstices, and takes advantage of narratives about textiles to legitimize its products.
Hey Ana,
Really cool reflections and insights on textiles and their function as utilitarian or otherwise. The questions you posed at the end have me thinking a lot about this tradition carried by women of ancient societies. I guess it's hard to really know where textiles are coming from - my best answer around modern indigeneity would be that if the mass consumption of 'Peruvian' sweaters allows communities to continue this art form and live in subsistence then it could in fact be an adapt version of indigeneity. All the while, I have the feeling that creative processes and patterning originate from a imagined design and motifs and therefore carry a meaning that is not truly touched by tourists choosing a colour scheme to fashion back home. But I'm curious how textiles still do mediate social exchange and such when 'traditional' dress is excluded to mainly spectacle events not private purposes. Anyways, I'm stoked to join a workshop to find out way more and just have a day in creative making.