- Amantaní
Amantaní is an island on the
Peru vian side ofLake Titicaca . According to a 1988census , it has a population of 3,663Quechua speakers divided among about 800 families.cite book | last = Davey | first = Steve | title = Unforgettable Places To See Before You Die | publisher = Firefly Books | origdate = 2004-07-03 | id = ISBN 1552979555] 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 andTiwanaku ruins on top of both. The hillsides, are terraced mostly worked by hand and planted withwheat ,quinoa ,potato es, and other vegetables.Livestock , includingalpaca s, 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 bountifulharvest in the year to come. [cite web | url = http://www.livetravelguides.com/south-america/peru/lake-titicaca/isla-amantani/ | title = Isla Amantaní | accessdate = 2006-03-26]Similar to the Taquileños, the inhabitants of Amantaní are also known for their
textile s, as well as their ceramics. [cite web | url = http://www.go2peru.com/webapp/ilatintravel/articulo.jsp?cod=1998862 | title = Pisac Taquile Island and Amantani Island | accessdate = 2006-03-26] Most of the inhabitants live in houses ofadobe .es iconcite web | url = http://www.punored.com/titicaca/amantani/page2.html | title = Amantani: Isla de la Flor Kantuta | accessdate = 2006-03-26] 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 andBolivia , which grows plentifully on the island.References
*
Jordi Gascón , "Gringos como en sueños: Diferenciación y conflicto campesino en los Andes Peruanos ante el desarrollo del turismo". Lima: Instituto de Estudios Peruanos. ISBN 9972-51-121-9
*CBC - "INKA POWER PLACES, SOLAR INITIATIONS" ISBN 978-9972-9384-5-0 by Mallku Aribalo
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