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Amantaní is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.
According to a 1988 census, it has a population of 3,663 Quechua
speakers divided among about 800 families.
The island is circular and about 9.28 km² in size. It has two mountain
peaks, Pachatata (Father Earth) and Pachamama (Mother Earth), with
ancient Inca and Tiwanaku ruins on top of both. The hillsides, are
terraced mostly worked by hand and planted with wheat, quinoa, potatoes,
and other vegetables. Livestock, including alpacas, also graze the
slopes.
The temples at the top of the peaks are generally closed during the
year. Entrance is permitted on January 20, the annual feast day, at
which time the island's population divides in two, with each group
gathering at its respective temple. A race is then held from each peak
to a point somewhere between the two, and a representative of each group
is chosen to run. According to tradition, a victory for Pachamama
portends a bountiful harvest in the year to come.
Similar to the Taquileños, the inhabitants of Amantaní are also known
for their textiles, as well as their ceramics. Most of the inhabitants
live in houses of adobe. There is a small health clinic and school on
Amantaní, and, while there are no hotels, some families offer meals and
overnight lodging to tourists. In return, guests are expected to bring
food (such as rice or sugar) as a gift. The island has no cars and is
powered for only a few hours a day by a generator.
Amantaní is known as the "Island of the Kantuta", after the national
flower of Peru and Bolivia, which grows plentifully on the island. |
