Backstrap weaving is an ancient technique where the warp is attached in one end to a weaver and in the other to a solid object like a tree or a post. Traditional weaving is an incredibly important component of identity in the high Andes, along with traditional alpaca herding and the use of the native Quechua language. Since Quechua was originally an oral language, weaving was the means by which people communicated their thoughts and feelings about the natural world, how stories were told, and histories recorded. Woven textiles were an important measure of wealth, and played a central role in civil and religious ceremonies. Everything from the spin of the yarn and the symbols woven into the textiles, to the colors used and techniques employed, conveys a wealth of meaning about the weaver and where she came from.

​

This is my personal interpretation of backstrap weaving on a Computer Dobby Loom