In Chincheros, children grow up playing with their mother’s spindle and loom. By age six or seven, most children learn to weave by watching their elders. They begin by weaving jakimas, or narrow ribbons, before moving on to more complicated pieces.

The most important of these are mantas. Villagers use these long rectangular weavings to carry babies and items such as food or firewood on their backs. Mantas are both symbolic and utilitarian. Like Scottish clans with their identifying plaids, each Chincheros community has its own distinctive manta, designed with a unique combination of colors and patterns.