All of the artisans that we collaborate with touch a spot in our heart. It’s a collaboration, that’s why we do it.
I met Senor Enriquez Taipe in 2014. He lives in Yauli, Huancavelica. Huancavelica is the poorest province in Peru. Agriculture and their handmade goods are how they survive. There is no internet in Yauli and very poor cel reception. In 2016 I made the trip to Yauli, to see if somehow we could find a solution to our communication challenges and work together. The journey entailed 2 flights (from Cusco), then an 8 hour ride by car from Ayacucho. I finally understood the challenges and realized that patience and lots of it, would be required.
Sr. Taipe at his loom, with his family (we will write about these amazing women in another post). At right, in Cusco, finally…with products to take to the US for Christmas 2017. He travelled 28 hours by bus to bring his order to me in Cusco.
The alpaca wool for Sr. Taipe’s products come from his own alpaca. All the colours are natural. He works with his son. Both Sr. Taipe and his son are renowned scissors dancers, a traditional dance from the province of Huancavelica.
Sr. Taipe’s work being modeled by Vanessa Quispe and Sheila Cajigas in Cusco.
