Ayni is a Quechua word for mutual aid.
We
are a small, not for profit, organization founded in 2006 by botanist
Hedy Hollyfield, anthropologist Barbara Wolff, and educator/artist
Kathlyn Avila-Reyes.
Ayni
aims to preserve cultural patrimony in Peru, and promote social welfare
in Andean communities through sponsorship of cultural programs, and
through sales of Peruvian art and crafts.
Your
purchase of our Peruvian handicrafts and textiles supports projects at
the Los Gorriones Orphanage, ANFASEP, and the University of Huamanga as
well as the communities that produce, spin, dye and weave the fiber. It helps keep Ayacucho's fiber tradition alive.
Preserving Cultural Patrimony
Cultural patrimony is described as cultural
property, or artifacts that hold continuing and significant historical
importance to the heritage of a people. Through projects with entities, such as
the University of Huamanga, Ayni, Inc. strives to preserve the cultural
patrimony of Peru, home to many of the most profound and prominent societies in
Latin America.
Ayacucho’s Textile Tradition
Ayacucho has been known for its fine textiles for thousands of years, and is
still a haven for textile enthusiasts today. Herders high in the Andes raise
alpaca and sheep for meat and fiber. Weaving
families in the Santa Ana district of Ayacucho hand-spin the fiber into yarn,
collect dye plants, dye the yarn in small lots, and transform it into timeless
works of art that draw upon ancient motifs.
These families have a tradition of weaving that has been passed down for
generations. Your purchase of their unique textiles is a direct support to
their way of life and well being.
The University of Huamanga
Ayacucho, locally known as Huamanga, was founded
by the Spanish in 1540, and the University of Huamanga opened its doors in 1677.
The University houses a collection of irreplaceable prehistoric and historic
artifacts. In 2007, Ayni, Inc. helped the University to win a grant from the
U.S. Embassy in Lima to catalog and preserve the collection, making it more
accessible to international scholars.
Promoting Social Welfare
Despite Peru being one of the fastest growing economies in South
America, many of its people still suffer in poverty, forced to work in the
informal job sector in small towns or villages. Efforts of Ayni, Inc., and
other organizations, strive to provide an outlet for Andean entrepreneurs,
feeding proceeds back into the local community.
ANFASEP: Asociacion Nacional de Familiares de
los Secuestrados, Detenidos y Desaparacidos del Peru
ANFASEP was founded in 1983 to uphold the human
rights of people who were victimized by the violent conflict between the
Shining Path movement and the Peruvian government during the 1980s and 90s. The members of ANFASEP are the surviving
victims of Ayacucho, the birthplace and center of the conflict. They are primarily indigenous Quechua
speaking widows, orphans, and youth.
With assistance from Ayni, Inc. the women elders, respectfully called
"mamas," have begun creating unique needle-felted cards to sell for
much needed income. Proceeds from sales
of a card go directly to the "mama" who made it.
