We proudly introduce: Cecilio Quispe, Kinsaccocha Community, village elder, grandfather, father and descendant of the Incas.
Cecilio lives together with ten other families as part of the Kinsaccocha Community in Paru Paru, Cusco, at 4010 meters in the Andes.
Cecilio is now a proud 68 years old. All those 68 years he lives in the Kinsaccocha Community. The first thing we really wanted to know from Cecilio was what happiness and pleasure is for him.
Dear Cecilio, what does Achiy mean to you?
“Living with my family and my alpacas. Drinking coca tea and chewing coca leaves together with my community. All that makes me happy.”
Cecilio Quispe
Cecilio is a member of the indigenous people who inspire our designs and tell our stories. Here is an insight into Cecilio’s story:
“I live here in the community from our potatoes and our quinoa. I also live from our alpacas and their wool. We use them for our own clothes and sell the rest. Without our alpacas we could not live here. Unfortunately, the number of animals has decreased over the years. In the past, when I was little, my family and our community had many more alpacas. Life was easier. Nowadays many alpacas fall ill. We also lack grass in the meadows as food for our animals.
I pray to Pachamama, our goddess and Mother Earth, that our alpacas will remain healthy. Nature has changed over the years. The towns down in the valley have grown. The population is growing more and more. We ask Pachamama to spare us.
Many animals have disappeared over time. When I was a boy, I saw many condors in our mountains. They threatened our alpacas and attacked the babies. Also, the puma once came to our village.
Back then we humans lived in harmony with Pachamama, our nature. I wish that we humans would not anger Pachamama and try to destroy it. Because then my community will no longer exist.”
