Belt Item Number: 3486/112 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Woven belt (chumpi) in synthetic fibre finished on one end with braids sewn together with a thin braided tie on each end. The crinkled appearance is achieved through twisting the yarn during manufacturing. The design is split into two main horizontal bands with a mirrored geometric motif of triangles and a small segment of squares on the right end. The top band is yellow and blue, and the bottom band is green and magenta. The top and bottom edges are finished with a thin border in shades of red. A thin red and grey tie is attached to the braided end, and a green tie is attached to the other end of the belt.
Belts of different types are used by men, women, and children, and some have special names. Most belts are called chumpi (Quechua) or cinterone (Spanish). Some belts are associated with pregnant women and their babies, where they are used to fasten the swaddling cloths around the infant. Belts for children are usually smaller in size. In some areas, very wide belts are worn with a stiff underbelt, which acts as a back support. Belts in Andean villages are usually made on a continuous warp and the last few inches are finished by braiding. A wide variety of techniques are used to pattern the belts. The imagery woven on belts is usually drawn from a set of geometric and figurative icons that are combined in ways that are distinctive of a particular community.
This belt was made in Chinchero by a Bolivian woman who married and settled in the area. According to Ed Franquemont, a researcher who spent many years studying Chinchero weaving, the Bolivian woman made these belts in Chinchero for a few years but had limited success in selling them. The donor purchased the belt at the Sunday market in 1978.