3-01-01 Otavalo

Deb tells us at breakfast that there's been a 7.0 quake in Seattle. We hear it was about 2 p.m. as Bill Gates was about to speak, presumably at the Conference Center. I email my Dad and Jill with a worried inquiry. 

Before we take the half day guided tour of the nearby crafts communities, we hit the cash machine again. As yesterday, it only gives me $146 - in fives and a single. 

We first visit Carabuela and meet its president. He practices traditional methods of spinning wool. The various communities have developed specialties - this community doesn't raise or shear sheep, but they spin the yarn and weave some of it into scarves and ponchos. The rest of the yarn they trade with other communities. After the president and his wife demonstrate spinning on a machine with large dual flywheels and spindles, he finishes weaving a scarf on a back loom. We purchase the scarf, a week's worth of work, for seven dollars. 

Intermarriage among the indigenous people exacerbates health problems. This couple is first cousins, is not fertile, and have adopted a daughter, who participates in the family business. Being about 12, she will likely marry in the next two years. It's only been in the last 25 years that the government has discouraged intermarriage. 

I note the shack has electricity and ask the guide Miguel whether they've ever considered putting a motor on the spinning wheel. Miguel says that they don't want to change the traditional weaving methods. I note the stereo to provide music.

The next generation is not as interested in these traditional methods, nor in the traditional poverty, I daresay. Are we not witnessing the extinction of a species because it hasn't adopted as the environment has changed? Wouldn't it be better to preserve the parts of tradition that one can and adapt to ensure Survival? 

Next, we visit a family of knitters. They have two sons, 16 and 18, the latter has won a championship in the speed of his knitting. The younger has a girlfriend and hopes to marry her. The parents are not in favor of this for two reasons. The first is that it is not an arranged marriage as was their own. The second - and this appears to be the stronger reason - is that they don't wish to see their children marry as young as they did. I buy a colorful sweater that actually appears to fit me for ten dollars. 

The other village we visit is Iluman, known for hats, shaman, and midwives. We first visit a hat shop run by a non-indigenous family. They take felt blanks obtained from the Italian section of Quito, iron and shape the hats, and add trim. They can turn out about 600 hats a week. Many of these go for export - Italy being a popular destination. Even though the hats there are only $5, I decide I don't need one. 

Last, we visit a traditional hat shop. The family takes raw wool, felts it, and shapes it into the much larger sombrero style hats used by some nearby villages. Treating with corn flour makes them hard. The final finishing is with a pumice stone. It used to be fairly common to sharpen the edges and use the hats as a weapon. 

The father of this family died three weeks ago leaving the mother and at least two daughters and a son. Probably because the parents are first cousins, one of the daughters has a genetic disorder that causes rapid aging. Although she is in her early 20's, she look as though she's at least 70. 

The son has abandoned the family tradition and taken up weaving as a craft. He works away on a standard treadle loom-making purse like bags. In evidence that these are more marketable, Karen buys one. 

There's email when we return from dad saying that everything's okay.