Description

The aguayo is a rectangular carrying cloth used in traditional communities in the Andes region of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The Aymara and Quechua people use it to carry small children or various other items in it on their backs. The patterns on the aguayo can simply consist of bands of colors, geometric shapes or be more eloborate. Originally, the symbols and drawings that appear on these fabrics trace the legends and beliefs of the communities. Thus, depending on the different communities, each aguayo has its own specificities, its own colors and its own forms. The aguayo is mainly made of llama wool, it can also be made with alpaca or sheep wool and is traditionally dyed with natural dyes.