Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez was born in the small community of Chinchero. Like many other children during this time, she was responsible for taking care of her family’s flock of sheep. Watching over them in the fields, she spent her time learning to spin and weave with her friends. As she grew and learned more complex designs, her curiosity was sparked. She could see there was a powerful history behind the art of her people, but that it was slowly being lost. When Nilda was a teenager she befriended an ethnobotnist and anthropologist who moved to Chinchero in the 1970s. With their encouragement she embarked on a journey that would change the fate of Cusco textiles. After becoming the first person from her community to attend college, she went on to become one of the founders of the CTTC. Since her youth Nilda has been a community organizer and leader, bringing her town together behind the goal of reviving their textile traditions. Now the director of the CTTC, an award winning author, and international speaker and expert in Cusqueñan textiles, Nilda cannot believe how far the Center has comes since its early days as a group of friends meeting to weave in each other’s homes. Participated in Aspen Institute Global Health and Development TEDWomen Conference.
Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez
2016 Ricardo Salinas Scholar,
Ricardo Salinas Scholarship
Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez was born in the small community of Chinchero. Like many other children during this time, she was responsible for taking care of her family’s flock of sheep. Watching over them in the…