Special Program: Living Threads: Ancestral Textile Knowledge from the Peruv

This program is co-presented by the Fowler Museum at UCLA, the CMRS Center for Early Global Studies through the “Race in the Global Past through Native Lenses” research initiative, and the Consulate General of Peru in Los Angeles.

Exploring Indigenous knowledge and material heritage, Living Threads will feature three master weavers from the community of San Miguel de Cajamarca in Peru. The program will highlight the ancestral textile traditions of the northern Andes, emphasizing the essential role of women in preserving, transmitting, and evolving cultural heritage through the art of weaving. Join us for an afternoon of conversation, live weaving demonstration, a community weaving workshop, and a trunk show.

Program Schedule

2:00–2:15 PM: Welcome and offeringOpening remarks by Professor María Luz De La Torre of UCLA, followed by a traditional offering to the land or “pago a la tierra”—a gesture of gratitude to the land, Pachamama, and the weaving tradition.

2:15–2:45 PM: Conversation with master weaversThe program will begin with an introduction to the visiting master weavers and their work. In a moderated conversation, the artisans will share the cultural meanings embedded in their textiles, their weaving techniques, and how knowledge is passed down generations. This dialogue will center Indigenous voices, highlighting memory, resistance, and creativity, and emphasizing the Andean world’s transmission of knowledge and its contributions to global artistic practices.

2:45–3:30 PM: Live weaving demonstrationAttendees will witness a live demonstration of traditional Andean weaving practices, including the use of backstrap looms, natural dyes, and regional iconography. This session will offer an opportunity to glimpse the technical, symbolic, and historical richness of northern Andean textile art.

3:30–4:30 PM: Community weaving workshopParticipants will be invited to engage in a hands-on workshop led by the weavers. This session will introduce basic techniques and foster learning, intergenerational exchange, and meaningful dialogue across cultures.

4:30–6:00 PM: Trunk showA marketplace will close the day, offering the public a chance to purchase textiles directly from the artisans. This trunk show will help support the economic livelihood of the weavers while creating space for deeper connections to the stories woven into each piece.

Co-presented by CMRS Center for Early Global Studies through the Race in the Global Past through Native Lenses research initiative and the Consulate General of Peru in Los Angeles

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