Master weaver Edwin Sulca of Ayacucho Peru creates tapestries rich in the legacy of the Andean cultural traditions.
For more than 20 years the people of Ayacucho endured the terrorism of the the Sendero Luminoso, birthed in the small mountain town, and later the government troops sent to battle the terrorists.
Sulca, wove the histories of his people in his tapestries. When we met in his hometown more than 15 years ago he just began to speak about the meanings of his tapestries, his hopes and dreams for his people, and for universal peace.
Recently I visited Sulca and interviewed him about his creativity, his work, and his life. This is a short audio clip where he is speaking about his most famous piece, “El Viento,” The Wind.
“I wish to be like the wind that runs over the continents, and drags all evils, and smashes them against the rocks. I wish to be the brother who gives his hand to the fallen one, and , strongly embraced, seeks the peace of the world.’