Aguayos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A traditional woven textile or blanket commonly used in Andean culture for carrying goods or as a garment
2. Often made from vibrant colors and patterns, reflecting regional craftsmanship and identity
3. This item serves both practical and cultural purposes, highlighting the significance of textiles in indigenous communities

Etymology: Aguayos are the brightly patterned woven cloths of the Andes, used across Bolivia, Peru, and neighbouring highland regions to carry goods, babies, and harvests on the back. The English word is simply the plural of "aguayo", borrowed from Spanish, where the singular names one such cloth. The Spanish word comes from the Quechua and Aymara peoples of the Andes, whose textile traditions long predate the Spanish arrival, and the Spanish term was adopted to describe the cloth in colonial-era contact. English took it over in its Spanish form, so the word carries the Andean craft directly, without a translated equivalent.