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We took a boat to the Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca. These floating islands are made from piles of reeds 2 meters thick. The ancestors of these people
fled here in the 1500s to escape the Incas and, later, the Spaniards. They eventually blended with the Aymara people. There is a school in the floating island community for children in grades K-8. The older children go to high school in Puno.
Six related families live on the island we visited. They work cooperatively to build reed boats and other necessities for their community. Much of their income comes from the tourist trade. An entrance fee is paid when tourist boats enter the islands; this money is shared annually, at Christmas time, among all of the island inhabitants. In addition, handicrafts are offered for sale during visits to individual islands... mainly wall hangings and items made from reeds such as small boats and mobiles. Our group was divided up by the families to visit their homes, small reed huts, and to meet their families and chat a bit. We were then offered handicrafts to purchase.
Many aspects of their present culture resemble the life that has gone on for centuries in these islands. We did see a solar panel on the island we visited, however, which had been given to them by the government; our family was proud to show us their TV. In addition, tourism has become the main income producer for these people.
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Pam Sue your entries and pics are wonderful!!! I am learning so much from them. Thanks for sharing. Pam