Use and circulation

The ways in which textiles are used and circulate in society defines particular forms of cultural heritage. In the past Andean textiles were used in everyday life in a variety of ways - as protection, means of communication, bearers of memory, expressions of status, prestige and social rank to their users. In recent decades traditional textiles have become more associated with the past, through their use in ceremonial or their display in museum collections. In the rural areas of the Altiplano (mallkus), for example, public officials wear traditional dress on formal visits or in events designed to celebrate regional folklore.