OUR COLLECTION — LATIN AMERICA — PERU 378. 50-PIECE FINGER PUPPET NATIVITY
This Nativity scene consists of 50 finger puppets, each hand-crocheted from wool. The puppets are made by rural women who live in the Puno region of Southeastern Peru. The many women work together in a cooperative so that they are able to craft 10,000 puppets each month. Many of the small villages where the women spin wool and crochet are far from developed cities, so they have no technology to assist them in their work. The puppets measure 3 to 3.5 inches tall.
The Puno area is located on the edge of Lake Titicaca, which borders Bolivia. The area surrounding the city of Puno is where the Aymara civilization started. Knitting and textile arts have been practiced for thousands of years by both the men and women equally on the island of Taquile, (Isla Taquile) in the middle of Lake Titicaca.
The set includes all the following pieces:
The Puno area is located on the edge of Lake Titicaca, which borders Bolivia. The area surrounding the city of Puno is where the Aymara civilization started. Knitting and textile arts have been practiced for thousands of years by both the men and women equally on the island of Taquile, (Isla Taquile) in the middle of Lake Titicaca.
The set includes all the following pieces:
- Mary
- Baby Jesus
- Joseph
- Angels - 3
- Woodcutters (shepherds) - 3
- Wise men - 3
- Trees - 5
- Swan
- Dove
- Parrot
- Toucan
- Condor
- Peacock
- Hen
- Duck
- Andean Villagers - 8
- Ram
- Bull
- Llamas - 3
- Horse
- Camel
- Sheep
- Vicuña (the national animal of Peru; relative of the llama)
- Cow
- Donkey
- Goat
- Squirrel
- Pig
- Monkey with banana
- Puma
- Rabbit with carrot