Nilda Callañaupa

Peruvian textile artist empowering Andean women through cultural preservation

Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez is a Quechua weaver and cultural preservationist from Peru's Cusco region. Born in 1966 in the Andean highlands, she revived ancient Inca weaving techniques that were near extinction. In 1996 she founded The Center for Traditional Textiles in Chinchero, which has trained over 1,200 women artisans, preserving ancestral textile arts while creating sustainable income streams.

Her initiative transformed local economies - artisans now earn 3x more than previously. The center's weaving school teaches techniques using natural dyes and backstrap looms, maintaining pre-Columbian patterns. Callañaupa's work was instrumental in UNESCO declaring the Q'ero community's textiles an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.

She pioneered the "textile tourism" concept, inviting global visitors to learn weaving while supporting local communities. Her cooperative produces designs for international brands like Patagonia and Nike, ensuring cultural authenticity remains intact. Callañaupa has been featured in National Geographic and received the National Geographic Society's 2018 Women of Impact award. Her advocacy for indigenous women's rights extends to policy work with Peru's Ministry of Culture, ensuring artisan voices shape national heritage policies.