Bag

Item number Sf919 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

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Description

Rectangular red bag with a long woven strap and five, large threaded tassels at the bottom. Five pattern stripes are arranged symmetrically with the largest in the centre flanked by narrow stripes with white squares. The central stripe and the outer stripes have geometric and figurative motifs and are edged with blue and green stripes. A four strand edging, twined and sewn, covers the seams and edges.

History Of Use

Warp-faced fabrics with three or four selvedges are woven by women but the fabrics the techniques, structures and some of the motifs have pre-Conquest antecedents. This type of textile conveys the most information about an individual's ethnicity, sex, age, status and particular history. Coca bags are used by men only. The offering, bestowal and chewing of coca leaves mark many rituals and occasions. Only men use a coca bag while women use a coca cloth. They are not worn during work, but only for special occasions.

Cultural Context

special occasion

Iconographic Meaning

The range of motifs refers to local geography and landmarks, ecology, fecundity as well as luck. The six part circle refers to the division of land into six sections on Taquile and the rotation of crops and fallow periods. The s symbol represents the port and the rayed diamond represents a dance done at weddings. The bird with its young refer to fertility.

Narrative

Made by Dionisia Marca Quispe for her husband, Rosendo, on the event of their marriage, 5 years before. The exchange of textiles marks many life events, and it is usual for the bride to weave her husband a coca bag.

Specific Techniques

Weave structures are the following: 1-plain colour areas are warp faced plain weave. 2- figurative designs; complementary-warp weave with 3-span floats aligned in alternate pairs with an irregular (abbabaab) warping order (3/1 horizontal colour changes and diagonals of 2-span floats). 3- stripe with squares; float weave derived from turned 2/1 horizontal herringbone with floats forming squares.