Artesanias Kolla Suyo Puno Peru- Felicia Huarsaya Villasante

Aymara weaver Felicia Huarsaya Villasante comes from a small community in the Peruvian province of Azangaro about 15,815 feet above sea level near Lake Titicaca. The female farmers in the area sell weavings as part of a collective. They use only high quality alpaca fibers and sheep’s wool to create sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, and finger puppets. In addition to her work as an Indigenous artisan, Felicia has also been involved with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues including climate change. She stressed the importance of this issue, “For us, the environment is the only resource. The only bank is our land, air, and water.”

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