The wool yarn is obtained by shearing which helps the sheep to prevent heat exhaustion during summer months. The yarn is classified according to the fiber’s color, strength and fineness. The process of spinning is entirely handmade in the traditional the twisters and spindles.

The softness and thickness of the llama wool enables the maker to use traditional yarning techniques, unlike the alpaca wool.

The natural color of llama is golden brown to black and the fibers are characterized by its softness and the quality of the yarn. The color of  the sheep wool is all natural if it is light brow to black in color, nevertheless industrial pigments are used in dying the wool if custom colors are needed. After obtaining the yarns, the ponchos are knitted or weaved entirely in the hands of the producer.

Poncho is both a daily clothing and also a worn at special occasion in almost all Andean regions. During festivals and weddings, people living on the skirts of Andean Mountains wear their best looking, colorful ponchos. Especially during special occasions, most men and women including the president of the country wear poncho.

In Peru and Bolivia, the most distinctive part of men’s cloth is the poncho which signifies the region and social level through the poncho’s patterns and colors. Depending on the cut, material and pattern of the cloth, poncho is named differently in other countries. Chamanto in central Chile, Jorongo or Gaban in Mexico, Ruana in Colombia are the variances.

[photo credit: Lares Trek]

Catamarca Province in ArgentinaCatamarca is a province of Argentina, located on north-west of the country where it borders Chile. Almost 80% of the region is covered with mountains, ranging up to 6,900 m of altitude.
It is one of the regions where it was kept isolated from the rest of the country by its mountains until the beginning of 20th century.

In Quecha, which is a language spoken in Andes area, “cata” means slope, “marca” means the fortress which form the meaning “the fortress of the slope” for Catamarca region due its mountainous landscape.

Catamarca is located on the semi-arid climatic zone where usually low annual precipitation is received. The temperature in the valley may vary from 5 C to 45 C throughout the year, whereas up in the mountains, it may drop down to -30 C.

Avar Saracho Family

The members of Avar Saracho family lives in Belen which is a small town of Catamarca in Argentina. All family contributes the making of textile products while some of them helps with shearing, some of them yarning and dying and the rest in knitting. Avar Saracho family is traditionally known as among the best textile makers in the region. Though, they keep their production line small and all handmade, almost 300 kg of yarn is produced by the family every month.

Dimensions: 1.30 x 2.00 m
Color: Violet and blue stripes on red
Material: Hand-woven with sheep wool

Origin: Andes Mountains, South America
Tradition: Worn daily and at special occasions by Indigenous Andean people

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