"We have to picchar––chew some coca leaves––before weaving," Margarita said.
It was the first instruction I received for my new lesson. I would learn to make puitu, a colorful ribbon used to adorn skirts.
"Chewing coca leaves will help you learn well and weave at a good pace. It helps you connect with the magic of threads."
She was a patient and sweet instructor, but months later, I'm still working on learning the technique, minus the coca leaves.
