Añay Kachi: The Salt Workers of the Peruvian Andes
Near the town of Maras, in Cuzco, Peru, at 3,300m above sea level in the Peruvian Andes, there is a place that has been a cultural emblem to more than 450 indigenous families for more than 600 years.
Salinera Maras consists of an accumulation of more than five thousand salt pools within the Andes Mountains where Indigenous workers harvest salt by hand between May and November. Although these salt workers and families depend on this to make a living, they find pride in continuing an ancient tradition that has been carried on for generations. In the 1980’s these communities marched more than 60 kms to the city of Cuzco, demanding the Peruvian government to give them recognition of the salt mines as their property. That same year they were granted recognition of these lands and today, the Quechua people own and operate the salt pools under a communal company they formed called Marasal.
"Añay Kachii: (Thank You Salt) aims to take you on a visual journey through the workers’ life. Through a personal insight of their daily routines combined with studio style portraits, this project creates visual testament of a tradition that has continued to thrive since the Inca Empire.
This special project, shows a group of humans adapting to our ever changing modern world, climate change and how do they keep this tradition alive which is deeply rooted to the Andean and Quechua culture.
