Taita Joaquín Guandinango, a distinguished textile artisan and traditional musician from the community of San Pedro in the Cotacachi canton, preserves in his hands a practice that forms part of the region’s cultural heritage. At 85 years old, he continues weaving with dedication on the foot loom he built himself, keeping alive a craft that has accompanied him for over six decades.

His childhood unfolded alongside his parents, immersed in agricultural labor and communal life. The early loss of his father led him to learn the craft from his mother, who, with wisdom and tenderness, passed on to him the art of weaving—a skill that represented both economic sustenance and cultural inheritance. By observing and practicing daily, Taita Joaquín began to weave anacos, fachalinas, blankets, and ponchos, using sheep’s wool that he and his wife, María Ester Chávez, spun by hand. Today, he notes, it is easier to acquire yarns in the markets of Cotacachi and Otavalo.

In addition to his mastery as a weaver, Taita Joaquín Guandinango is also a recognized traditional musician known for his harp playing. Inspired by musicians in his community, he taught himself to play the Kichwa harp and accompanied many ceremonies—weddings, community festivals, and funerals—with his music. Although his hands still remember how to play each string, a hearing impairment now prevents him from performing publicly. With a warm smile, he tells us that while he can no longer play the harp himself, his children now accompany community festivities with popular orchestral music.

From a young age, these artistic skills enabled Taita Joaquín to support his family and strengthen his bond with the community, contributing meaningfully to the cultural memory of his people.

His woven works, especially the fachalinas, are a living expression of ancestral knowledge. These garments, crafted with remarkable detail and precision, are worn by Kichwa women during events such as dances, Inti Raymi festivities, and funeral rituals.

At the entrance to his home stands his wooden loom—weathered with age and partially worm-eaten, yet still functional—which he affectionately calls his “little sister of labor.” This tool, which he built with his own hands, has been his faithful companion for over 65 years. In the same space where he weaves, Joaquín also shows us his backyard, where he raises chickens, pigs, and sheep—the latter being essential for producing wool that undergoes a careful process of spinning, warping, and artisanal weaving.

Each garment requires one to three weeks of continuous work, depending on its complexity. Although the passing years have made the physical effort more demanding, Taita Joaquín continues to weave with deep love and commitment, fully aware that his work is part of a collective legacy. His calm and nostalgic voice reveals a lingering concern: he has no successor to carry on his craft. This reality is a poignant reminder of the fragility of ancestral knowledge, which risks disappearing if not valued, documented, and passed on. Honoring his work is also recognizing the value of a people who have literally woven their identity across time.