Culture and Andean Textile - Research Paper Example

Andean Textile Introduction Andean textile is enriched with their history and cultural heritage. The history of Peru is divided into three main periods which are significant to the Andean textile. During the pre-Inca period the ruling class wore the Topacus which were only reserved and made for the royal. The rest of the people wore pallays. With the colonization, the Spaniards banished the wearing of the royal garments as they signified power in the nation. This threatened the existence of the garments as people were forced to all dress in Pallays. Pallays from neighboring communities are almost similar, but those from far communities are distinct. Different pattern and motifs are applied in Andean textiles. Weaving was the common technique in the earlier days and materials used cotton and wool. Some communities such as the Paracas undertook the technique of embroidery as opposed to the common weaving. Decorations on the fabric were made using naturally derived dyes and the symbols and patterns used were associated with the history and the surroundings of the people. Culture and Andean textile Hand weaving in Andean was a practice that was engaged by both men and women. However, the practice was reserved mainly for women. Young girls worked alongside their mothers and tended to their younger siblings while weaving. The men were involved in other activities such as pastoralism although some of them practiced weaving. Hand weaving was a wide practice during the early days just before the colonial period. Women used wool and cotton from farms as materials for making textiles. Different motifs and patterns were utilized, and it represented their cultural heritage. Peru before the colonial period was divided along the ruling class and the serving class. Different garments made and use of different colors was indicative of the social class of an individual. The royal class wore the Topucas while the regional class wore pallays. Regional differences in pallays worn are very minimal and foreigners can rarely tell the difference. Basic designs used in pallays include geometric shapes such as diamonds and zigzags. The diamond shapes were used to symbolize the sun (Inti) or the stars (Chaska) or the eye (Nawi). Zigzag lines are symbolic of nature with cultivated hillsides (Pata), rivers (Mayu), and even snakes (Amaru). Regional differences are observed use of different color combinations1. Later in the history, when Peru was colonized, the Spaniards banished the wearing of Tocapus as it signified ruling class. This threatened the existence of the royal clothes almost leading to that part of their culture being buried. The rich cultural practice of Peru is also evidenced by their rich array of ceremonial clothes. The shoulder clothes worn by women were used for many purposes. For example, they served as decorations and could be used for carrying babies or other stuff. Coca bags signified the religious stand of the Andean people. Coca bags (Chuspa) are woven flat pouches that are made using intricate design and colorful threads. The pouches were used to hold coca leaves. The name of the bags varies with different regions due to the different dialect. In some regions (such as Aroma and eastern Pacejas) only men carry the coca bags while in other regions (such as western Paceja) both men and women carried the bags. Inca women and Aymara women wore body garments referred to as axsus and urkus respectively2. The body garments were worn in such a way that the designs are worn horizontally with the larger and finer motifs being worn upwards. This also played a role in preventing the patterns from getting dirty. For ceremonies and certain rituals, the wearing of the garment was reversed. In that the finer designs were worn facing down so that the owner could showcase her art. Men wore loin clothes tied with waistbands. Historical perspective The region of Andean is divided into three main periods, namely conquest, colony, and republican era. The three periods were collectively referred to as pre-Inca period and the textile at the period forms the basis of modern textiles in Andes. The textile marks the history of the Andean people as the influence of the people they interacted with is expressed in various patterns and motifs. During the pre-Inca period, the Inca people were the ruling class with other ethnicities serving under them. At the time, textile production was divided into two main categories. The garments worn and used for decoration by the noble houses were different from those worn by the commoners. Examples of garments worn by the Inca ruling class included women’s mantles (Llixlass), men’s belts (chumpis), and coca bags (ch’uspas). The royal garments were differentiated from the commoners’ garments as they bore a unique design referred to as Tocapu which was believed to be a form of writing. Despite the differences in patterns, used weaving was the common design at the time. Later in history, the royal Tocapus was weaved using European tapestry and this period was referred to as the transition period. However, with the colonization by Spain the making of Tocapus was prohibited, and this threatened the heritage3. Symbol motifs and patterns were slowly replaced by the use of geometric shapes in the making of clothes by the natives. Tools and materials used in Andean Textile In ancient Andean, textiles were made by weaving. This involved the use of hands and even legs in controlling the tool applied. The weavers used looms that were operated by hands and later in history, they were looms that were operated by both hands and feet. A loom was made using warps that were them stretched over bars. The bars were placed a way that the distance between them was convenient for the material being woven. One bar was then attached to a support (tree limb or wall pegs), and the other bar was fastened to the ground by use of heavy materials to restrict movement of the loom. There are two main types of looms that were employed. These include the back-strap loom and the 4-post Loom. The early Andeans employed the use of cotton and wool in the textile industry. The other materials, namely silk and linen were used later in civilization. The cotton and wool materials were then decorated using gold and silver threads. Non fibrous materials were also commonly used to decorate the textiles. Evidence of colored cotton ranging from white, brown, tawny, and even blue colors have been observed. Animal and plant sources were utilized to source wool and cotton. The different colors of cotton observed were later associated with disease and pest attacks. Decoration of the textiles was also achieved by use of dyes that were derived from plant and animal sources. Although hand weaving was the common practice, use of needle work was also practiced. Materials were embroidered using different stitches4. Symbols and Patterns used in Andean textile Andean textile tells of a rich story of their heritage and surroundings. The use of symbols, different patterns, and colors differed across communities. The patterns, symbols and colors used in textile were derived from nature as were the materials and dyes used for decorations. The symbols and pattern were drawn from people, animals, and from the landscape. The patterns used are symbolic of the religious and cultural beliefs. The use of animals as decorative symbols is especially common in the communities living in the mountains. Common animals observed in their textiles include dogs and llamas. The weavers also used their imaginations to showcase animals that they had not even seen. In the Andes, animal is important as they signify life and prosperity. Animals also contribute largely to the textile industry in the provision of wool and recently the production of silk. The detail in which a weaver captured the shape of an animal was used to indicate their emotions towards that particular animal. As earlier said, Andean textile forms a part of their history. Weavers used historical figures to decorate their materials. An example of an iconic leader who is incorporated in Andean textile is Tupac Amaru II, who led the Andeans against the Spanish in Peru in an attempt to end the colonialism5. Peru is considered to be among the nations with a beautiful landscape. This did not escape the natives as they also incorporated different scenaries in their textiles. The sun, rivers, stars at night, and even the flowers were all used to decorate fabrics. Weaving in Peru Traditionally, weaving was the common deign used in textile making. Even currently, the textile industry in Peru is practicing the art of weaving. Weaving is carried out using two main patterns; the weft (latitude threads) and warp (longitudinal threads). Andean textile has a characteristic warp design. This means that the warp threads compose of the visible colors that a weaver wants to be visible. The wrap also defines the structure and artistic design that the weaver wants to express. The weft plays a major role in determining the density of the materials. Weaving techniques used are the complimentary and supplementary warp designs. The complimentary weaving technique is a commonly practiced weaving design by the Andean people. The weaving technique creates two different designs on one piece of textile material. That is a material made of two contrasting backgrounds such as white and black colors, on one side the background will be white while on the other side the background will be black. Supplementary weaving technique is not as common as the complimentary warping technique. In this case, only one background appears in the textile material. The two techniques are continuous warping processes. However, in some cases (e.g. in supplementary warping) discontinuous warping is applied. In this case, a weaver can interchange designs by using a six-post horizontal loom. Tapestry designs where patterns are created using the horizontal weft thread. However, this technique is rarely carried out due to its complexity and is practiced by men. Embroidery The Paracas people are renowned for their contribution to the textile industry by embroidery. The technique of embroidery involves the use of a needle and thread to make decorative patterns on a piece of fabric6. As in weaving, the artists involved in embroidery also utilized the nature and surroundings to come up with patterns. They also used geometric symbols to represent different meanings, history, and emotions. The origin of embroidery among the Paracas dates as far as the transition period. The choice of embroidery over decorating using weaving designs is attributed to its simplicity. The simplicity arises from the freedom that an artist have when making a motif due to the flexibility of the working materials (that is needle and thread as compared to weaving looms). By use of stitching techniques, The Paracas people were able to make decorative patterns and motifs on any part of the cloth where they desired. There are different styles of embroidery that were used. However, during the early times, it was uncommon for an artist to mix different styles in one garment. Three main embroidery styles have been recognized. They include linear style, block color style, and broad line style. Linear designs as the name suggests, is made of straight parallel lines. The style utilizes the use of geometry in making the pattern that may contain diagonal and curved lines. Parallel, thin lines are used to enhance the details of the geometric motif. Linear designs are also characterized by the use of one color both in the background and on the surface. However, linear designs did not enhance differentiating details in a motif as in block color embroidery. The images depicted in these designs have not been changed over the time, and it is believed that they carry a lot of historical information concerning the people from Paracas. The linear style of embroidery differs from the other style in the way it is executed. The background is filled in first following both the latitude and longitude axis of the fabric7. When filling the background, blank spaces where the design will occupy are left. The blank piece of the material is then filled up using colored threads resulting in the surface formation of an image. In many ways, linear embroidery resembles weaving in that one has to stitch row by row, which necessitates counting just like in weaving technique. Andean Textile Today The colonial and conquest periods threatened to diminish the history and cultural heritage of Andean textile. In the modern age, the technique of weaving is still being practiced. However, the traditional designs are being improved to reach a global market. The use of materials has also extended to include a mixture of various materials including silk and linen. The use of technology has made weaving simpler, and there are more color combinations that are being made. People are still wearing the hand-woven clothes, although, not as frequently as in the olden days 8. Use of looms to weave has been replaced with the use of weaving machines that have greatly reduced the labor and have enabled the mass production of garments. Indigenous hand-woven textiles have high demand in countries such as the United States and Europe. Therefore, the value of hand weavers has not diminished even with the growing influence of other cultures. The learning of weaving, however, has changed from the domestic setting. There are many weaving schools that have been set up across Peru, where the techniques of textiles are taught to interested parties. Another thing that has changed in the Andean textile industry is the importance of money that has led to globalization. Conclusion The Andean textile is characterized by their rich heritage, both culturally and historically. Weaving is a traditional technique that was utilized in the earlier days and is still being used. Women and young girls used looms to weave materials. Different designs were made by using the nature, animals, and even people decorate the woven garments. At the time, Andean people were using wool and cotton but with globalization and the growth of civilization use of synthetic materials and dyes have led to the expansion of the trade. Andean textiles have also contributed to embroidery. Three main stitching techniques were being used to decorate the garments. Decorations in the garments were assumed to be messages from the artist to other people. The messages ranged from religious beliefs, cultural practices, and even expression of emotions. The practice of weaving was carried out by both men and women with each gender specializing in different styles. Today, the demand of hand-woven fabric is in high demand and this has led to the resurrection of traditional weaving in Andes. Images Image showing women wearing body garments with shoulder clothes Image of the loin cloth worn by men Image of the coca leaf bag The image shows the transition period tapestry weave Image showing palley used in textile during the colonial period Image of a woman weaving using a loom A-rope B- warp bar C- shed string keeps the threads from becoming tangled when loom is moved D- shed stick creates space between top and lower threads E-heddle stick used to wound loops F- Batten pushes horizontal weft thread to beater G-Bobbin carries threads horizontally creating a weft J-Beater (made of bone) and it tightens the thread in place Adapted from (http://threadsofperu.com/symbols-patterns/) Image of a back strap loom Image showing Andean textile decorated with different symbols Images showing weaving techniques Bibliography Top of Form Top of Form Ainsworth, Philip.n.d . 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