SIGNUP FOR UPDATES
SHOP NOW
Waytita
Waytita - Yauli,
Huancavelica
Alberto Quispe
Acuna, Hilda
Boza Ccanto, Santiago Quispe Acuna, Albina Boza
Malyhua, Orlando Quispe Boza,
Leon Quispe Acuna, Eusebia Laurente Boza,
Teodoro Quispe
Acuna
The
members of the Waytita group are from the
Matipacana area of Yauli. These artisans are
adapting traditional skills to make modern
products; for example, they’ve designed a
beautiful purse which is trimmed with a
hand-made slingshot. They make fajas (the
traditional wide belt that men wear) into
water bottle carriers. Their traditional dance
costumes have incredible beads and sequins
hand-sewn to them; Waytita now puts the beads
and sequins onto hand-sewn evening bags. Their
unique products form a bridge between
traditional and modern life.
For
generations the Quispe family in Matipacana was
known as a source for quality traditional
clothing, including embroidered skirts and
aprons. Twenty years ago one of the Quispe
brothers moved to Yauli, the largest town in
the area, to expand the market for the
traditional clothes his family produced. In the
last few years, the family has seen the market
for traditional clothing dwindle; it is now
much more expensive to wear a beautiful
hand-embroidered skirt (with its many
underskirts) and apron than Western clothing.
The family knew their business would not
survive another generation.
ATIYPAQ, a member
institution of the Joining Hands Peru Network,
works in the Matipacana area and has long-known
the respected Quispe family. Because ATIYPAQ
cares deeply about preserving traditional
skills, clothing and textiles, they introduced
Grupo Waytita to the Bridge of Hope Fair Trade
project. Grupo Waytita has had no difficulty in
adopting the standards of Fair Trade, as they
have always operated in a transparent manner,
and have long been involved in service in their
own community.
Grupo
Waytita has provided valuable knowledge to
other artisan groups by sharing how to put
finishing touches on products, bookkeeping, and
letting others use their sewing machines. They
see the Fair Trade project as realigning their
skills to the modern market, and giving them
ways to incorporate traditional products so
that fajas, slingshots, embroidery, and
beadwork do not become a lost
art.
Several
years ago they had nearly given up hope and
believed that each family member would have to
go his own way. Thanks to Fair Trade,
they have renewed hope that their family
business can continue. Alberto is the only
member of Grupo Waytita who was able to
complete high school; now they believe that all
their sons and daughters will have this
opportunity.