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Photograph of two Quechua girls
from the Andes Mountains in the 1960s. Note that both of them had
hand-woven shaws and embroidered blouses. In addition, the girl on the
left was wearing a "chumpi" which is a belt that was traditionally worn by
Quechuan women to fasten their skirts. Hand-woven clothes were frequently
made from wool or alpaca from their own animals and dyed with natural pigments
made from local plants, minerals and insects (e.g. red color from cochineal
insects). At that time, synthetic fibers and dyes were unavailable in the
Andes region of Peru. In addition, note the use of buttons as
adornments on the girl on the right. Traditional Quechua dress varied
greatly from region to region and even within the same community. The
manner in which one dresses could also indicate ones age and status within a
given community. The traditional dress of Quechua women is thought to have
its roots in the traditions of the ancient Incan people, combined with Spanish
Colonial dress.
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