Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez

Quechua artisan and educator preserving Andean textile traditions while empowering Indigenous women economically.

Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez is a Peruvian weaver and cultural leader who revived ancestral textile practices among the Quechua people. Founding the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco (1996), she created a cooperative where Indigenous women artists receive fair wages for their craft. Her initiative has prevented the loss of 200+ traditional weaving techniques, while advocating for cultural sovereignty. Alvarez also established a school (CTTC School) teaching weaving to youth, ensuring intergenerational knowledge transfer. Her work bridges art and activism, challenging stereotypes about Indigenous labor. Featured in the 2017 documentary The Art of Survival, her textiles are showcased in museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Learn more: Wikipedia, Cultural Textiles Books.