"Quechuan speakers who refer to themselves as runakuna (the people, humankind) use the animals' hair for warmth and clothing, the pelts for beds, the dung for heat and cooking fuel, and the meat to make charki (sun-dried jerky). For these reasons, the animals are absolutely essential for human survival in this radically vertical geography" (2003:55).
While alpaca, llama, and other camelid wool may have been the more traditional and preferred fiber, sheep's wool was also utilized to make garments, such as the example above, most likely for its waterproof and insulating properties. With its muted color and large collar, this piece reminded the Textile Team of Bruno's poncho from Disney's Encanto.
