Life on the Lake

I spent my final day in the Altiplano exploring islands in Peruvian waters of Lake Titicaca. In case I didn’t mention it earlier, “Titicaca” means “puma stone” in the Quechua language, and the Inca people considered Lake Titicaca to be the birthplace of the Sun and their empire. 

The early morning air was crisp and cool – no, make that freezing cold! – when we set out by boat to reach the Uros islands, located in the Bay of Puno. 

The Uros are unique among the many islands in Lake Titicaca because they are actually man-made islands constructed of layers of totora reeds laid on a base of root clods. 

After traveling about 25 minutes, at first through shallow reed-filled waters, our boat approached the official entrance to the cluster of about 120 “floating” islands. Tourists are required to pay a fee to visit to the islands. This is one of the ways the islanders generate revenue. There aren’t too many visitors in the winter, but at other times of year, the floating islands are one of Peru’s most popular tourist attractions. 

 

The approximately 1200 people who live on the islands today are descendants of the original inhabitants of the area around the lake. Much remains unknown about their history. According to some scholars, these people were part of the Tiahuanaco civilization, the greatest civilization in this area prior to the Incas. Archaeologists who are doing research in and around the lake have discovered remnants of Tiahuanaco culture, including megaliths. The Tiahuanaco civilization eventually went into a decline, possibly because of a drought. 

 

It is generally believed that the ancestors of today’s Uros were forced to abandon the mainland when the Incas expanded into their lands and expelled them. By building mobile floating islands on the lake itself, the Uros people were able to defend themselves since the islands could be moved to safer parts of the lake, if necessary. This strategy was obviously successful. The Uros have survived and to this day, they still maintain much of their culture from pre-Inca and Inca times. However, about 500 years ago, they adopted the Aymara language, and their original language has been lost. 

When we disembarked at one of these small islands, a very friendly man who seemed to be in charge (not sure of his title) greeted us and introduced us to members of the four families who make their home on the small island.

 

Speaking in Aymara, he told us about the Pros way of life and answered our questions. He explained that while the island foundation is not permanent, it can last 25-40 years. Since the reeds laid on top of the foundation decompose quickly, a new layer of reeds has to be put down every two to three weeks. It was hard for me to imagine living so precariously and having so much of your time devoted to basic survival. 

He showed us a totora model of the island.

The diet of the Uros is somewhat limited, with hunting and fishing supplying much of their food. Coots (black ducks), which they shoot and then dry, and small fish called carachi are staples of their diet. 

They also fish for trout and kingfish in the lake. Some families keep domesticated ibis for their eggs and meat. They showed us some of the other foods they eat, such as potatoes, chuños (freeze-dried potatoes), corn, dried beans, etc. I’m not sure whether they grow these on their islands (probably not) or if they purchase them. I read somewhere that the bottom portion of the totora reed is edible and forms an important part of their diet. Since they didn’t invite us to try any of the unfamiliar foods, I can’t report on their taste.

 

Totora is the basic material used for building houses, and for making furniture, hats, and handicrafts. Since the houses don’t have heat, it must be very cold at night. Our host showed us the inside of one of the houses (yes, that’s a television) and convinced me to try on some clothing typically worn by the women. 

 

Totora also provides firewood for cooking although the reeds have to be placed on a layer of stones to avoid setting the island on fire. 

 

For transportation, they use canoe-shaped boats made of totora. Inside the reeds are plastic water bottles. The boats have two prows, often in the shape of a puma head. 

There was enough time for a short boat ride. 

 

We learned of an interesting custom regarding marriage. A couple that’s contemplating marriage lives together for one year. After that time, they decide if they are going to go ahead with the marriage or not. There’s no stigma attached to backing out of the arrangement, even if a child has been born to the couple. 

 

While the Uros people prize their independence and their traditional way of life, they make some concessions to modernity. Solar panels, provided by the Peruvian government, generate their electricity. A boat arrives every day to collect the trash. Their children attend government funded public elementary school on one of the floating islands. To continue their education, some attend school on the mainland. The Peruvian government also provides a medical center on one of the islands. 

 

Since the Uros don’t live on land, they don’t pay taxes. However, they understand the realities of modern life and the need to earn money. That’s part of the reason they charge a fee for visitors to enter. Of course, they also make handicrafts that they sell to tourists. And nowadays, they have begun to build eco lodges to attract more tourists to the floating islands.

 

In the afternoon, we traveled into the main part of the lake for a visit to a very different kind of  island. It was a beautiful day to be out on Titicaca’s sapphire waters. The sun was shining down  and the temperature felt almost spring-like. Soon, Taquile island came into view. From the boat, I could see the terraced fields blanketing the island’s hillsides. 

Unlike the Uros people, the inhabitants of Taquile make a living from farming and raising animals. They grow the usual high-altitude crops (potatoes, quinoa, beans), even practicing crop rotation, and primarily raise sheep and alpaca, whose wool is used for the fine woven and knitted handicrafts the islanders produce. 

 

Another difference between the Uros community and the Taquile community is language. While Aymara is spoken on the Uros islands, Quechua is the language of the people who make their homes on Taquile. 

 

In addition, while the tiny Uros islands are manmade, Taquile is a larger natural island with a population of about 2200. 

 

There doesn’t seem to be much flat land on Taquile. As soon as our boat docked, we started a long uphill hike. Much to my surprise, the path was paved with smooth stones. Along the way, we passed terraced fields and small farm houses. Sheep were everywhere, and they didn’t let our presence interfere with their grazing. 

 

Note the creative use of rubber sandals as hinges for the gate. 

 

Broz called our attention to the cantu flower, the national flower of Peru and neighboring Bolivia.

 

Eventually, we reached the restaurant where we stopped for lunch. The menu was the expected quinoa soup, grilled trout, rice, and French fries but it was the view that made the meal so memorable. Looking across the deep blue waters of the lake, we gazed at the peaks of snow-covered mountains in Bolivia. 

The people of Taquile are known for their fine weaving and knitting, using the wool from the sheep and alpaca they raise. Interestingly, it’s the men who knit. In fact, it’s a skill that all boys learn and that men practice for several hours a day. We noticed that every man seemed to be wearing a knitted hat with ear flaps and a tassel ending with a pompom. This is a traditional Andean style hat known as a chullo. Broz told us that every man knits his own chullo. The colors of the hat (which always includes red) indicate the man’s marital status. The intricate designs have special meanings. And the placement of the tassel when a man wears his hat indicates whether he is happy or not. What a great idea!

Knitting skill is so prized in a man that before he can marry a woman, he must demonstrate his knitting expertise to her father in order to win his approval for the match. To do this, he must drink water out of a hat he has knitted. If no water drips through the hat, the man’s knitting skills are satisfactory and he is considered a good marriage prospect. 

 

We examined some of the handknitted hats and marveled at the tightness of the stitches. I especially liked the wawa hat, made for a baby or young child. 

While men do the knitting, it’s the women who spin the sheep and alpaca wool into yarn and color it with natural dyes. Most of the dyes come from plants and minerals although the source of the red color is the cochineal beetle that lives on cactus leaves. We saw a demonstration of wool washing using a natural plant-based detergent that comes from a type of cactus. 

 

Women are also the weavers in the Taquile community. Using very fine threads on backstrap looms, they make a variety of items, including coca bags and wide cummerbund-style belts for their husbands.

When a woman is going to be married, she shows off her weaving talent by making a “calendar” belt for her husband-to-be. A calendar belt features twelve intricately woven images representing aspirations, such as a large and healthy family, a house, crops growing, etc. 

 

Nowadays, not everyone who lives on the island wears traditional clothing. For a man, this consisted of an outfit similar to a matador’s costume, a reminder of the Spanish influence. For a woman, it would be multiple layers of skirts (made by her husband) plus a long shawl draped over her head, a reminder of the Moorish influence. 

 

Following our lunch and the textile demonstration, we continued hiking uphill to the main plaza on the summit of the island. There was a simple church, an art gallery, and some administrative buildings, but not much activity going on. 

 

The hike back to catch the boat was easy since it was all downhill. We had plenty of sheep to keep us company along the way. Sometimes, they even shared the path with us. I must say, they were extremely well-behaved. 

As I walked, I kept looking out at the waters of the lake, shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. 

The natural beauty of Taquile and Lake Titicaca was such a delightful surprise. I wasn’t eager to leave the serenity of the island but I knew we couldn’t linger there. Tomorrow, I would be departing from the hotel very early in the morning to begin the long return journey to the United States. Now I had to get back to start packing and to set my phone alarm for the ungodly hour of 4:30am. 

 

I spent my last few hours in Peru, after the morning flight from Juliaca to Lima, strolling around the Miraflores neighborhood of the Peruvian capital. As expected, the skies were gray without a trace of sun. There were tempting sales going on in the shops selling alpaca sweaters, scarves, and ponchos but there was no extra room in my suitcase. All I bought was a sweatshirt which I could wear on the plane. I made a mental note to bring a larger suitcase next time I travel. But on second thought, maybe not. I don’t really need more clothing, jewelry, home furnishings, etc. The experience, the photos, the memories are enough to bring back, especially when I’m at a point in my life when I’m trying to shed possessions rather than acquire them. 

 

It’s a good resolution, but I’ll see what happens on my upcoming trips. I already have a very busy travel schedule planned for 2023 – Morocco, southwestern France, northern Spain and Portugal, the Adriatic coast of Italy, Sicily, Malta, and Turkey. I guess I’m still trying to make up for the travel time lost due to the pandemic. But for now, I’m just satisfied to be home again.