A Handmade 118-Foot Rope Bridge, Rewoven Every Year

[Judi Lynn]

In Peru, a centuries-old tradition brings Inca infrastructure into the present.

BY SCOTT FERRARA AUGUST 29, 2017




The last crossing of the 2016 Q'eswachaka before the new bridge was constructed. ALL PHOTOS: SCOTT FERRARA


lthough the Inca Empire has long since vanished, Peru’s Cusco Region is saturated with archaeological and historical sites that offer a glimpse into pre-Columbian civilizations. In one particular remote mountain village, Inca tradition is alive at a three-day event that has been performed annually for 600 years: the rope-braiding festival of the Q’eswachaka, the last handwoven Incan rope bridge. 


During the festival, members of four local Quechua communities contribute strands of rope woven from grass. These strands are then woven together to create a 118-foot bridge that is slung across the Apurimac River. It replaces the bridge woven the previous year, which sags more and more over its 12-month reign.

The 2017 festivities took place in June beside the river, nearly a four-hour drive south of the city of Cusco. The trip is over rough and mountainous terrain and past cookie-cutter villages influenced by early Spanish conquest.



More:
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/qeswachaka-rope-bridge

[Warpy]

1. The process

cross posted from Latin America

[csziggy]

2. That video was taken from the Smithsonian The Great Inka Road exhibit

At the National Museum of American Indian in Washington. http://nmai.si.edu/inkaroad/

The original with narration:

Playlist of all 37 of the videos (there are duplications in Spanish):

&list=PLS6nSmuURFJAmfu7AYXkvTP8aHkUV51-7

I visited the exhibit last November - it was really great. They had a short sample of a bridge as one of the exhibits. In addition they had examples of pottery, textiles and other items.

[Warpy]

3. I saw it at the Intermountain Weavers' Conference

many years ago when it was held in town. Sound hadn't been added to it at that point.