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Apart from the Clangers, there are very few cultures in the world where knitting has held such importance – the Uros culture of Peru however is one of them. As the creators of Lake Titicaca’s floating islands knitted from totora reeds, the Uros people rank as one of the most unique cultures on earth. Originally isolating themselves on the lake centuries ago in an attempt to protect themselves from the ferocious Collas and Incas, the Uros remain within the most primitive pre-Inca town of Peru. Nowadays, several hundred people live and work on the islands, making a living from fishing and tourism by manufacturing various items from the multi-functional totora reeds upon which the society is literally based. People flit in between the islands on little totora rafts, which the Uros learn to fashion from a very early age. Visitors are more than welcome to leave the 21st century behind and tour the islands but unless you fancy a surprise baptism in the swampy waters – just mind where you tread.
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