The knowledge,
skills, and rituals, related to the annual renewal of the rope suspension
bridge of Q’eswachaka have been added to the UNESCO’s List of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The bridge crosses the Apurimac River in the
southern Andean Range in Peru, and it is renew every year by members of the
nearby communities, who use the same building technics and raw materials used
by their Incan ancestors. The bridge is more than just a transport route; its
renewal is seen as an important social, cultural, and historical event that
keeps the communities integrated.
The rope suspension
bridge of Q’eswachaka, at 3700m.a.s.l, is 28m long and 1.20m wide. The bridge
is part of the Qhapac Ñan, the vast network of roads
that united the Inca Empire. The renewal of the bridge lasts about three
days, and it includes ritual ceremonies performed by their builders during the
work. When the work is finished, the members of the communities involved
celebrate with a colorful festival.
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