Watana jakima 253

Product detailed description

Watana Jakima – Andean Beaded Binding (Q’ero Tradition)

In the Andean worldview of the Q’ero people, binding and tying are meaningful acts.
The word watana refers to tying, joining, and holding things together — not only physically, but within a broader sense of order and relationship.

Watana Jakima are beaded bindings traditionally made with small beads called pini.
Their total length is approximately 95 cm, which allows them to be worn, wrapped, or used as a flexible binding.

Pini beads and rhythm

Pini beads are small and regular, and their repetition creates a steady rhythm. In the Q’ero tradition, rhythm, repetition, and attentive work are essential — the process is as important as the finished form.

Connection to the mesa

Watana bindings are also used in relation to the mesa, the traditional Andean bundle that holds stones and power objects (khuyas). The binding helps keep the bundle together and symbolically closes the relationship between the contents and their holder.

Today, Watana Jakima can be worn as a personal item or kept as a reminder of Andean tradition — a simple object rooted in attention, balance, and respect for what is held in one’s hands.

• Origin: Peru

• Importer: Malvarenaco EIRL