A Peruvian Tradition Brings Joy to the Children of Weavers

A toy, a rare treat of hot chocolate mixed with oatmeal, a piece of traditional Christmas bread – these simple gifts can make the holiday joyful for children of the weavers of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, Peru (CTTC). Known as Chocolatada, this gifting is a Peruvian tradition.

Warm homemade bread is a welcome treat for the highland children.

Children’s toys are rare in Andean highland households. What do boys get? Toy cars.

The CTTC staff and other volunteers take the occasion to give back to the families that have helped make CTTC a success. Andean Textile Arts, a U.S. 501c3, adopted Chocolatada as a special project in 2002 and has expanded it to include all ten villages. ClothRoads financially supports this tradition too through ATA. Here are a few photos from last year’s and this year’s festivities.

Clowns are always part of the magic here in Pitumarca.

Clowning around in Pitumarca.

This December, 3250 kids will be looking forward to their annual Chocolatadas made possible by the generous support of friends and donors. There is more joy to bring: this year gifts will be given to the elderly of the villages who have been abandoned, neglected, or are alone with no one to care for them. They try to get by in the cold, many with infirmities, some trying to raise grandchildren as they struggle to feed themselves. Many get by only with the good will of others.

A tug of war between the children of Mahuaypampa.

This game brings out the competitive nature of the girls in Huacatinco.

Consider making a donation to Chocolatadas 2014 now. You can donate online at www.andeantextilearts.org, or send your check to Andean Textile Arts, P.O. Box 367, Corvallis, OR 97339. The average cost of a Chocolatada in a village this year is $790. Any part of that brings joy.

Thank you for supporting the artisans, especially during this gifting season. Gifts made by the hands of artisans are ones treasured for a lifetime. Click on this link to see what special CTTC products are in stock, ready to ship to you. We wish you happy holidays during this season of light and love from all of us at ClothRoads.

Special thanks to CTTC for providing us with the images for this blog.