How Andean Families Survive In Peru’s High Mountains | SLICE | FULL DOC

Added: 2026-05-29

[00:00:01][music] >> The Apurímac, the talking God in Quechua, is one of Peru's major rivers.

[00:00:11]Its source on the snowy slopes of the Mismi is the furthest from the Amazon River.

[00:00:18]For most of its 700 km course, the river flows through canyons, waterfalls, and rapids.

[00:00:26]During this season, however, the water level is at its lowest. It divides the district of Quehue into two parts. On one bank, there are the villages of Winch'iri, Chaupi Banda, and Choqaewa.

[00:00:39]On the other side, [music] Qoyana Quehue, where the administrative capital is located.

[00:00:49]Agriculture and livestock for personal use are the key activities.

[00:00:54]At this altitude, it is not easy to grow crops or find fresh pastures to feed cattle.

[00:01:01]In the last few years, the rainy season has been getting shorter.

[00:01:06]Erosion and drought make this place a harsh, dusty territory where life seems to be impossible.

[00:01:23]But the same land that denies people [music] its bounties conceals a treasure deep in the earth that humans found in the Andes thousands of years ago.

[00:01:39]The potato is the main food source at this altitude.

[00:01:43]It is grown in small family plots called chakras.

[00:01:47]There can be up to 300 hardy varieties of potato in these plots known to the Incas and their predecessors.

[00:01:58]The diet is also supplemented by small of cereals [music] and dairy products from cows, sheep, and particularly llamas and alpacas, the only animals native to these high plains.

[00:02:27]Most of the day is spent moving around these vast spaces taking the cattle to graze.

[00:02:34]This also includes the children. There is only one school for the whole area, and some have a 2-hour walk to get to class.

[00:02:43]When they come back, they help their parents on the land.

[00:03:04]Despite being a Chaka Runa, Victoriano's family have the same austere lifestyle as their neighbors.

[00:03:14]But even so, they are lucky. A couple of cows and their calves is more than a lot of people can afford.

[00:03:26]Both animals and humans share the same resources. The calves must not feed more than necessary.

[00:03:42]Peasant families are the basic economic and social unit in the Andes.

[00:03:52]Today, Fidel is making chuño, a traditional method of freeze-drying potatoes using the sun and frost at night.

[00:04:01]This way, food can be kept for years.

[00:04:13]From her vantage point, Victoriano's [music] mother, Cecilia, seems to blend in perfectly with her surroundings.

[00:04:21]She watches as the next generation takes charge of the house.

[00:04:39]A few days before Q'eswachaka is renewed, Victoriano has already cut the q'oya and sun-dried it.

[00:04:47]But before braiding his Q'eswachaka, he must soften the fiber to make it easier to work with.

[00:05:10]Paloma enjoys her grandfather's company.

[00:05:13]Children here are very independent, and their upbringing is not strict.

[00:05:17]In return, they learn to respect their elders from a very young age.

[00:05:25]But sometimes, living together every day gives rise to differences between the generations.

[00:05:59]>> [music] >> As well as being used to build bridges, q'oya has many other uses in daily life.

[00:06:24]For example, one of them is as a mold for making cheeses.

[00:06:42]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Okay.