The Pitak is the traditional and refined basketry for the Wampis, made to be practical where vine and leaf are aesthetic. Intricately woven from tamshi vine and lined with broad leaves such as bijao or banana, this Indigenous suitcase is waterproof and is used to store and transport their personal belongings.

In Wampis mythology, it is said that the wise and mischievous white monkey Tsere, is the one who taught the Wampis to weave the Pitak baskets along with their thatch roofs and fine woven combs. The Wampis belong to the Jivaro linguistic family whose territory covers a vast region of the Upper Amazon in northern Peru, which lies at the crossroads of the Morona and Santiago rivers in the department of Amazonas. 

The weaving practice of the Pitak is becoming exceedingly rare amongst their communities whose ancestral knowledge is traditionally passed down from the male elders to their sons. Today, various environmental factors have affected the availability of materials whereby social pressures and outside trends further distance the younger generations from taking interest in learning this unique craft.

In November of last year, we had the opportunity to get to know some of the communities along the Santiago, Cenepa and Marañón rivers, deepening our understanding of Jivaro basketry. Here we had the honor of meeting Jorge Tukup; a master of Wampis culture in his community of Caterpiza. It is thanks to Jorge, his family, and Nelly of the Yapit association that the story of this cultural heritage can be shared with us here in Cusco.

We would like to thank the community of Caterpiza, Jorge Tukup and his family, Gerardo Petsaín, and Nelly Impi of the Yapit Assocation for welcoming us into their world and sharing their knowledge so that we may deepen our understanding of their culture and reality.

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