ABSTRACT
In this chapter the author explores some of the aspirations and tensions that arise as people in the Andes sell their own craftwork to tourists. The particular focus in this chapter is on textiles, which are convenient items for tourists to carry in their luggage but which, in the form of clothing, signal conceptualisations of identity on the part of the wearer. Aboriginal acrylic paintings have achieved the esteem and status they deserve in a fine-art market. It is worth pausing, therefore, to consider the historical background before proceeding to examine the present-day production of textiles in the Andes. A specialised form of tourism has preceded the hostellers and backpackers who are now reaching isolated parts of the Andes. In many Latin American countries, weaving or embroidery are skills practised often, but not exclusively, by girls and women, who have risen to the challenges of producing vibrant and technically accomplished work despite the pervasiveness of Western goods.
