One of the most impactful concepts and terms last year was the word ‘Ayni’. Used in the Andean world by many of its peoples, it was a concept embraced by the Inca people.
That city of so much ‘zing’, history, and altitude, Cusco – and our base of operations while we were in Peru
Link here for Teasers
One of the elders in Chawaytiri who still spins wool and remembers the vitality of collaboration with the natural elements
During our journey to Peru our entire film team became absolutely bound to this concept of reciprocity and consensus building. How bizarre that the concept isn’t more widely used. I’ve seen it at work in all of the mountain cultures I’ve had to pleasure to immerse in and it is perhaps because of the mountains’ dominance that people still understand the value of it.
Part of our extraordinary team of mountain journeyers. Left to right: Wilfredo Huillca Gamarra, Alexander Estral, Benjamin our Shaman, myself, Jackie Bobrowsky, and our ‘runner’ Domingo Elias Townsend in the Salkantay region.
It was introduced by many of the locals who knew well how vital a principal it was (and still is). It is very much alive in many of the rituals and community gatherings and projects, where its practise is there to remind of the value of needing (and valuing) one another despite all other issues.
Our team looks on at (yes, true) coffee beans being hand roasted over a low heat. And yes, delicious
Interesting too is that the word when it is said, is pronounced identically to the Mandarin for “love you”, or “Ài nǐ” (爱你).
Another of the holders of the mountain wisdom near Chawaytiri, with a good hunk of coca in his cheek
Four teaser episodes are now out of the incredible time along portions of the Inca Road and with some of the communities we were fortunate enough to travel and meet. Not simply the place(s) though were of importance…there are philosophies and concepts that are so very much needed in this present time of so much rampant division. Ayni is one of those concepts that remain with me and hopefully inundate a little our teasers.
I get to serve – and offer – tea to the team and to the epic Machu Picchu behind. A tribute of both tea and coca was made to the city in the mountains.
About JeffFuchs
Bio
Having lived for most of the past decade in Asia, Fuchs’ work has centered on indigenous mountain cultures, oral histories with an obsessive interest in tea. His photos and stories have appeared on three continents in award-winning publications Kyoto Journal, TRVL, and Outpost Magazine, as well as The Spanish Expedition Society, The Earth, Silkroad Foundation, The China Post Newspaper, The Toronto Star, The South China Morning Post and Traveler amongst others. Various pieces of his work are part of private collections in Europe, North America and Asia and he serves as the Asian Editor at Large for Canada’s award-winning Outpost magazine.
Fuchs is the Wild China Explorer of the Year for 2011 for sustainable exploration of the Himalayan Trade Routes. He recently completed a month long expedition a previously undocumented ancient nomadic salt route at 4,000 metres becoming the first westerner to travel the Tsa’lam ‘salt road’ through Qinghai.
Fuchs has written on indigenous perspectives for UNESCO, and has having consulted for National Geographic. Fuchs is a member of the fabled Explorers Club, which supports sustainable exploration and research.
Jeff has worked with schools and universities, giving talks on both the importance of oral traditions, tea and mountain cultures. He has spoken to the prestigious Spanish Geographic Society in Madrid on culture and trade through the Himalayas and his sold out talk at the Museum of Nature in Canada focused on the enduring importance of oral narratives and the Himalayan trade routes.
His recently released book ‘The Ancient Tea Horse Road’ (Penguin-Viking Publishers) details his 8-month groundbreaking journey traveling and chronicling one of the world’s great trade routes, The Tea Horse Road. Fuchs is the first westerner to have completed the entire route stretching almost six thousand kilometers through the Himalayas a dozen cultures.
He makes his home in ‘Shangrila’, northwestern Yunnan upon the eastern extension of the Himalayan range where tea and mountains abound; and where he leads expeditions the award winning ‘Tea Horse Road Journey’ with Wild China along portions of the Ancient Tea Horse Road.
To keep fueled up for life Fuchs co-founded JalamTeas which keeps him deep in the green while high in the hills.
“Not simply the place(s) though were of importance…there are philosophies and concepts that are so very much needed in this present time of so much rampant division. Ayni is one of those concepts that remain with me and hopefully inundate a little our teasers.”
I agree, Jeff, such philosophies and concepts are essential to counter balance the collective mental illness that has overtaken much of the human race. I have been enjoying the “teasers” and the thread of connection between mountain dwellers from different hemispheres. It’s utterly beautiful and inspiring, especially the way you and the film crew present it. Thank you for bring these elements to us! It is important work and especially illuminating.