BY AALIYAH HANEY
On our fourth day of being in Perú, we explored a village called Mullakas Misminay. This village was positioned in the mountains and the locals we met were so hospitable. As our group got off the bus, we were greeted by music. The people had dogs who were intrigued by our visit. Once we were inside their home, they joined hands with us and led us in a traditional dance where we are in a circle and step in and out of it while rotating around. After this exciting experience, the people dressed us in their clothing, so we felt included in their culture. As the morning continued, we got to learn about their techniques for cleaning, dying, and weaving fibers from alpacas into beautiful and authentic attire, accessories, and more. I had the opportunity to clean the alpaca fiber in a bowl with a natural detergent liquid. This made me grow in my appreciation of their work and the amount of time it requires. When the women were done teaching us about this process, the men took us to an area where we could observe multiple mountains. They allowed us to participate in a ritual that shows honor to Mother Nature. It was my birthday this day, so they gave me the opportunity to do some key aspects of this tradition. The weather was beautiful and the people treated us to a meal, which was very delicious and generous in portion. I enjoyed this morning because of getting to experience Perú from the locals’ perspective and being able to converse with them in Spanish. Moreover, there is something so special about gaining insight into people’s lifestyles and seeing how they give back to a place that has provided so much for them.
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