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Portraits of the Cordillera Blanca, Perú

A photographic story of community life high in the Andes mountains.

Charlotte Kesl

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Documentary photographer Charlotte Kesl spent a summer in the Cordillera Blanca, Perú. Among a number of assignments in this high mountain region of the Andes, we believe her portraits of everyday life on the mountainsides of the Cordillera Blanca are nothing short of exceptional.

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The following images were all taken in the Cachipampa Alto community on the western slopes of Cordillera Blanca, about 40 mins steep drive from the city of Huaraz, in the Ancash department of Perú.

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A Quechua woman prepares lunch in the Cashipampa community's early years school. Quechua is a widely spoken language throughout Perú's mountainous regions, and remains the first language for about 13% of Peruvians. Quechua is also a distinct indigenous ethic group, descended from the Inca. It is the largest of 51 indigenous groups throughout this beautifully diverse country.

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Many indigenous women from both Perú and Bolivia continue to sport traditional bowler hats (and other similar styles), which feel oddly out of place in a culture widely informed by pre-hispanic customs. The story of the bowler hat in the high Andes is a strange one, and is usually attributed to a pair of Manchester-based businessmen who sent a shipment to South America, originally marketed to international railway workers. However, the shipment of hats turned out to be undersized, and so eventually they were promoted to local woman who continue to wear the small-rimmed hats high on the head.

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Quechua remains the first language for many in mountainous parts Perú, with Spanish increasingly spoken as well. Younger generations, however, are now increasingly multilingual, and with the advent of the internet and improving education opportunities, English and other languages are being learned as well.

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A special moment between mother and child, caught as this young girl lights up the room with her smile.

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Yancy, a young woman from the community, comes to the local community centre and library almost daily. It is somewhere she can to access the internet as well as a selection of other learning materials.

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A father feeds his young children at lunchtime.

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A young boy in the community plays in the beaming Andean sun.

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Many of the community's elders take part in traditional knitting activities. These are skills that have been passed down through numerous generations and continue to be a central way of life for many in the community.

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Many homes in this part of Peru are little changed from ancient times, with cooking ofter on an open fire in the house.

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Washing fresh water fish caught in the glacial lakes, streams and specially adapted leats in this region of the mountainside.

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We just had to include this one! Not only for the cute dog, but also for the incredible textures on display.

Charlotte Kesl

Renowned international photo journalist, editor, and social communicator, Charlotte passion is portrait and social photography, and she's equally adept at capturing the spirit of adventure in people and places all over the world.

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