Isla+Taquile

Isla Taquile

Puno, Peru Isla Taquile is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. It is inhabited by the Taquileños who are known for their handwoven textiles and clothing. The economy of Isla Taquile is based on fishing, terrace farming horticulture, and the tourist-generated income from approximately 40,000 tourist that visit each year. Inca colonists were sent here over 500 years ago when the Incan Empire seized Isla Taquile. The Incan Empire fell after the Spanish invasion and a Spanish colonial city rose from the ruins. Any history of the Incan Empire prior to the Spanish invasion was obliterated due to the fact that they didn’t have a writing system.

Isla Taquile has a colorful history. It was once used as an Alcatraz-styled prison by the Spanish colonialists. After Peru gained its independence in 1821 it became a Spanish prison island. As time passed, the people of Taquile slowly regained control of their lands. But throughout these changing times, the Taquileños have maintained their old ways over these 500 years. All of this has produced the Isla Taquile we know today.

Nowadays, Taquileños are a closely integrated community of over 2,000 people. Isla Taquile is divided into six sections for crop rotational purposes. The community has a mostly vegetarian diet and grows crops like corn, beans and quinoa. The island is largely untouched by modernity. The women have the job of weaving while the men have the task of knitting. They run their society by community collectivism which means they make decisions based on the best interest of the community. Taquile ños live by the Inca moral code "ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhilla" which means "do not steal, do not lie, do no be lazy."

By: April Lanka