Lake Titicaca, Peru / Gail Imel / South America / Amantani and the Uros

BoD

Gail Imel separator

South America separator

Amantani and the Uros

[ Zoom Map ]

Lake Titicaca, Peru
15° 48' S 69° 24' W
Feb 09, 2007 07:00
Distance 68km

Choose another map, showing:

Amazon
South America (central)
South America
The World

Entry 79 of 93

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

Click here to start downloading FlashPlayer!

Amantani and the Uros

Text written in: English (US)

On Thursday, Omar picked us up at the hotel at 7:20 AM to go to the harbor to catch the locals' boat to Isla Amantani. Amantani is one of the many islands in Lake Titicaca which is home to 4,000 inhabitants that speak Quechua. It is a very quiet island with no roads or vehicles that is less-frequented than other islands. Usually the only way you can stay here is with a home stay with one of the families.

However, we were priviledged to be able to stay at Casa Blanca - White House(http://www.titikakadventures.com/) - a house owned by a Dutch man who married a woman from Amantani. Since he is rarely there due to the altitude, he rents it out complete with Guillermo and Natty - chef and house manager! Casa Blanca actually has running water (cold), indoor plumbing and an indoor "modern" kitchen. It, along with Guillermo and Natty, was fantastic!

We loaded the locals' boat for the 4 hour ride to Amantani. The boat out was filled with more backpackers than locals, but still an interesting mix. On the way out, we had a surprise stop on a couple of the Uros Islands - the man-made floating islands - Islas Flotantes.

"The Uros is a group of 42 floating islands in Lake Titicaca as well as the name of the pre-Inca people who built them. The Uro originally created these artificial islands to escape the Inca, who dominated the mainland at the time. The purpose of the island settlements was originally defensive, and if a threat arose they could - with difficulty - be moved. The largest island retains a watchtower almost entirely constructed of reeds. The Uro traded with the Aymara tribe on the mainland, interbreeding with them and eventually abandoning the Uro language for that of the Aymara. Around 3,000 descendants of the Uros are alive today, although only a few hundred still live on and maintain the islands - most have moved to the mainland.

The islets are made of totora reeds, which grow in the lake. The islands are started by creating squares of reeds 3 meters wide and 3 meters deep. These squares are then lashed together and reeds placed on top. The dense roots that the plants develop support the islands. They are anchored with ropes attached to sticks driven into the bottom of the lake. The reeds at the bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so new reeds are added to the top to compensate. The islands last about 30 years.

The larger islands house about 10 families, while smaller ones, only about 30 meters wide, house only two or three. The local residents fish, and hunt birds and graze their cattle on the islets. They also run crafts stalls aimed at the numerous tourists who land on ten of the islands each year.

Food is cooked with fires placed on piles of stones. To relieve themselves, tiny 'outhouse' islands are near the main islands. The waste is dried in the sun to avoid polluting the water."

While on the island, we experienced walking on the floating reeds, received a presentation on the history and geography of the islands, tasted the totora reed (mainstay in their diet), explored their homes and visited with their children. We got an opportunity to take a ride on one of their elaborate boats to another island where our boat would pick us up. It was a peaceful, relaxing ride complete with music, singing and dancing from some of their children! The little girl who sang and danced could not have been more than 4 or 5 and she just oozed genuine happiness and life energy!

Once we left the islands, we settled in for another 3 hour ride to Amantani. Lake Titicaca seems more like an ocean than lake once you get out of the Puno inlet. A storm was brewing out in the distance and the lake got quite choppy, but it offered some beautiful views.

We were greeted by Guillermo and Natty at the dock near the house. They grabbed out bags and scrambled up to the house. We had to amble slowly as we were still feeling the 13,000 plus elevation. As we unpacked, Guillermo finished cooking our fabulous lunch! He is quite the chef and of course, he must don his native hat and his apron as he cooks. After lunch, Guillermo showed us around a bit and even honored us by taking us to see his own home. His wife and two kids were over in Puno for the Candelaria Festival, so we didn't get to meet them.

On our walk, we happened past many of the locals engaged in various work and play activities. One special woman was the elderly "deaf" woman who was pulling weeds in her garden. Guillermo got her attention and permission for us to photograph her. She dropped all the weeds in her skirt, straightened herself up and gave us the most fantastic smile!

We went to the Plaza de Armas where Guillermo has his own store - he is quite the entreprenuer/business man with his own store, the only phone in town and his position at Casa Blanca. He plans on opening his own restaurant soon!

We came to Amantani to absorb some of the energy of Pachamama and of Lake Titicaca (which we called the Lady of the Lake). On Amantani, there are two hills that are topped with ruins called Pachamama and Pachatata (Mother Earth and Father Earth) dating back to the Bolivian Tiahuanaco culture (500 BC - 900 AD). Unfortunately, due to some illness and injury, we were unable to climb up to these ruins. Guess that will be for the next trip!

Instead, we just took in the magnificence of the Lady of the Lake. At night, we went out and enjoyed the brilliant stars and the sound of the waves.

We also got an opportunity to dress in the traditional dress of the women of Amantani. They wear these VERY heavy dirndle skirts, embroidered blouses, belt and an elaborately embroidered head veil. The girls embroider their own head piece, so each is unique and gorgeous! The three of us felt like nuns when we were fully dressed and spinning around! Guess the skirts are good for warmth and for a good workout as it takes a lot of strength to move around in them!

While at Casa Blanca, we were visited by one of the local cuanderos - medicine man. We were wanting to meet and interact with some of the healing culture of the area, so word went out and our cuandero appeared. Our boat captain actually escorted him to see us. We had a very interesting evening with him as he read our coca leaves via translation from Quechua to Spanish to English! (See the next entry)

Our time was too short in Amantani, but we wanted to get back to Puno to partake in the Candelaria Festival. So, early Saturday morning, Natty and Guillermo escorted us to the main pier to get our boat back to Puno. This was a REAL locals' boat complete with chickens, cuy, bags of produce to sell at the market, people of all ages dressed for their excursion to Puno for the market and the festival... We were packed in the boat with some venturing to the roof platform. Once we were loaded, we started the 3-4 hour journey back to Puno.

The local people aboard were incredible! There was this 85 year old woman who sat in the middle of the floor inside the cabin and pulled out her knitting while the woman next to her pulled out her chicken and cradled it like a pet. There were these older men sitting along the sides constantly filling their mouths with coca leaves. Then there were the women with their children wrapped in blankets on their backs.

I had to laugh when I saw this one woman hitting this sack under her feet. As I watched, I realized there was something alive in the sack and she was trying to quiet whatever it was - I figured it was cuy for the market.

Shortly after leaving Amantani, the clouds rolled in and the water got rough. One by one the people leaned overboard! Thank goodness I had taken a sea sick pill or I would have been joining them! Maria and I got a little baptized by someone on the roof who didn't realize what was happening when he leaned overboard! Later, they had to cover us with a tarp to keep us dry from the rain.

As things quieted down, many of the women took up places on the floor in a position to sleep. The position is similar to a yoga position that made them look like rocks. How they could sit like that for hours, I can't imagine!

As we neared Puno, the Coast Guard was patrolling the inlet. Immediately, the boat captains handed out the few life preservers on board to those on the side that the Coast Guard could see. Then they got all the children off the roof. Obviously, there are some rules that they were not abiding by.......Anyway, quite the trip back to Puno - one we wouldn't have missed. Guess that's what you call local color!

For great service, contact Omar Serruto Rossello'with Sacred Lake Travel. He can be reached at www.titikakadventures.com.