Q’eswachaka Rope Bridge

This film is about a historic rope bridge found in the Peruvian district of Q'ewe, three hours away from Cusco. Community members have been preserving the cultural heritage of the Q’eswachaka bridge, the last living legacy of Inca architecture, by using ancestral techniques, creativity and solidarity. Through Victoriano Arizapana y Eleuterio Cayo, two Chakaruhak leaders, we see how four communities come together in this region to collect the Q’oya grasses needed to weave the massive ropes used in the renovation of this bridge every year. The annual ceremony takes place over three days, without the use of any modern equipment. Under Arizapan's guidance, dozens of men and women mobilize their mysticism, strenght, intelligence, and solidarity to conserve the Q’eswachaka bridge, which UNESCO named a World Heritage site.