One of the most impactful concepts and terms last year was the word ‘Ayni’. Used in the Andean world by many of its peoples, it was a concept embraced by the Inca people.
That city of so much ‘zing’, history, and altitude, Cusco – and our base of operations while we were in Peru
Link here for Teasers
One of the elders in Chawaytiri who still spins wool and remembers the vitality of collaboration with the natural elements
During our journey to Peru our entire film team became absolutely bound to this concept of reciprocity and consensus building. How bizarre that the concept isn’t more widely used. I’ve seen it at work in all of the mountain cultures I’ve had to pleasure to immerse in and it is perhaps because of the mountains’ dominance that people still understand the value of it.
Part of our extraordinary team of mountain journeyers. Left to right: Wilfredo Huillca Gamarra, Alexander Estral, Benjamin our Shaman, myself, Jackie Bobrowsky, and our ‘runner’ Domingo Elias Townsend in the Salkantay region.
It was introduced by many of the locals who knew well how vital a principal it was (and still is). It is very much alive in many of the rituals and community gatherings and projects, where its practise is there to remind of the value of needing (and valuing) one another despite all other issues.
Our team looks on at (yes, true) coffee beans being hand roasted over a low heat. And yes, delicious
Interesting too is that the word when it is said, is pronounced identically to the Mandarin for “love you”, or “Ài nǐ” (爱你).
Another of the holders of the mountain wisdom near Chawaytiri, with a good hunk of coca in his cheek
Four teaser episodes are now out of the incredible time along portions of the Inca Road and with some of the communities we were fortunate enough to travel and meet. Not simply the place(s) though were of importance…there are philosophies and concepts that are so very much needed in this present time of so much rampant division. Ayni is one of those concepts that remain with me and hopefully inundate a little our teasers.
I get to serve – and offer – tea to the team and to the epic Machu Picchu behind. A tribute of both tea and coca was made to the city in the mountains.