Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco && Museo Historico Regional

Native Dances of Cusco festival

On Thursday morning we delayed our museum trips until 1 in the afternoon and I was so glad we did because we got to go to the Plaza de Armas, which unbeknownst to us, was holding a Native Dances Of Cusco parade. Elementary school kids were the performers of the entire show- they danced a series of native dances and were dressed in the most elaborate and colorful costumes.

Our first museum trip was to the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco. It was interesting to see how much textiles are a part of Adean culture. Textiles are meaningful in so many ways; they depict community, individual identity, life cycles and cultural significance. Textiles are so important to Andean lifestyles that children learn how to weave at very early stages of life, so much so that they produce their most delicate and advanced works during their teenage years. Andean textile came in all sorts of different textures and colors- fibers from sheep wool, llama, vicuña and alpaca were used up until the 20th century when synthetic yarns replaced most animal fibers. I learned that shawls were essential to ancient life on the Andes- they were protection from the cold as well as festive wear. Plain mantas were used for daily tasks whereas finely woven mantas were reserved for fiestas. The Andean culture is full of colors so it is no surprise that their weddings would be anything short of colorful mantas full of sequins and finely woven bands that were capable of being weaved into more rounded designs.

These people play a tremendous role in keeping
alive Andean textile traditions.

Although different techniques and regional significance displayed in textiles do change or are lost within each passing generation, it amazes me that this culture has kept this art so alive and deeply intertwined in today's society.

The second museum we visited was the Museo Historico Regional. The museum included some of the history from when Spanish conquistadores came to Peru in 1532. One of the main focus in the Spaniard conquest of Peru was the evangelization of the Inca people. Bernardo Bitti, a Spanish artist and ecclesiast came to Peru, along with other artists, to disseminate his knowledge on the indigenous folks. This clash of cultures resulted in what is called Cusquena paintings. I've interpreted the painting below of Saint Margaret as the fierce blend between two opposing forces- the Saint represent Catholicism whereas the feline, who appears to have bitten off the Saint's left arm, symbolizes Inca culture.

Saint Margaret (XVI century)

The Lord of Earthquakes (XVII century)

Another example of Cusquena art is the painting of who we recognize as Jesus Christ but with an Andean underwear. Ironically, the title of the painting is The Lord of Earthquakes - this leads me to believe that even by the 17th century, colonial Peru had not completely subsided to Spanish beliefs.




The museum displayed two important historic men, Tupac Amaru II and Garcilaso de la Vega (El Inca). Tupac Amaru II was a metizo who led an indigenous uprising in 1780 against the Spaniards in Peru. He led one successful rebellion in the town of Sangarara which was followed by defeats and the failure to capture Cusco eventually led to his capture and execution. Tupac Amaru II suffered an inhumane and ruthless death- he "was condemned to have his tongue cut out, after watching the executions of his family, and to have his hands and feet tied to four horses who will then be driven at once toward the four corners of the Plaza [of Armas], pulling the arms and legs from his body" (http://en.wikipedia.org/Tupac_Amaru_II). The textiles below show that although unsuccessful in his revolts, Amaru remained an inspiration to many native Indians and metizos. The first textile contains Tupac Amaru's face and second depicts the quartering of his body.

Andena textile depicting the face of Tupac Amaru II.

Quartering of Tupac Amaru II.

Garcilaso de la Vega was the son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca noblewoman. He wrote a book,  Comentarios Reales de los Incas,  which was published in 1609 and contained parts about Inca life and the Spanish conquest of Peru. By the time Tupac Aramu's uprising began taking place in 1780, this book was banned by Charles III of Spain in order to subside further colonial oppression. Garcilaso de la Vega made various contributions to Inca history, culture and society and he portrayed a culture whose dignity had been tried but would not be fully succumbed. 

I'll leave you guys with this beautiful view of Cusco!

Julie