Goldens on the Road: Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca

Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca shimmers above South America at 12,507 feet above sea level, the highest navigable lake in the world. Lake Titicaca boarders Peru and Bolivia. The Uros are a people who live on forty-two self-fashioned floating islands in Lake Titicaca, Puno, Peru.

The Uros descend from a millennial town that, according to legends, are "pukinas" who speak Uro or Pukina and that believe they are the owners of the lake and water. Uros used to say that they have black blood because they did not feel the cold. Also they call themselves "Lupihaques" (Sons of The Sun). Nowadays, Uros do not speak the Uro language, nor practice their old beliefs, but keep some of the old customs.

The purpose of the island settlements was originally defensive, and if a threat arose they could be moved. The largest island retains a watchtower almost entirely constructed of reeds. The larger islands house about ten families, while smaller ones, only about thirty meters wide, house only two or three.

The Uros use bundles of dried totora reeds to make reed boats (balsas mats), and to make the islands themselves.

The photos above and below show a small work boat travelling to one of the islands loaded with reeds that have been cut and will be used to fortify the island.

The islets are made of totora reeds, which grow in the lake. The dense roots that the plants develop and interweave form a natural layer called Khili (about one to two meters thick) that support the islands.

They are anchored with ropes attached to sticks driven into the bottom of the lake. The reeds at the bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so new reeds are added to the top constantly, about every three months; this is what makes it exciting for tourists when walking on the island. This is especially important in the rainy season when the reeds rot much faster. The islands last about thirty years. ^[Wikipedia]

Each step on an island sinks about 2-4" depending on the density of the ground underfoot. As the reeds dry, they break up more and more as they are walked upon. As the reed breaks up and moisture gets to it, it rots, and a new layer has to be added to it. Below is a demonstration of how they build their islands.

It is a lot of work to maintain the islands. Because the people living there are so infiltrated with tourists now, they have less time to maintain everything, so they have to work even harder in order to keep up with the tourists and with the maintenance of their island. Tourism provides financial opportunities for the natives, while simultaneously challenging their traditional lifestyle. ^[Wikipedia^]

The natives spend a good deal of time creating beautiful crafts including blankets, wall hangings, small models of the reed homes and boats, pottery, and wind chimes.

Food is cooked with fires placed on piles of stones. To relieve themselves, tiny 'outhouse' islands are near the main islands. The ground root absorbs the waste.

Much of the Uros' diet and medicine also revolve around the same totora reeds used to construct the islands. When a reed is pulled, the white bottom is often eaten for iodine. This prevents goitres. This white part of the reed is called the chullo (Aymara). Like the Andean people of Peru who rely on the Coca Leaf for relief from a harsh climate and hunger, the Uros rely on the Totora reeds in the same way. When in pain, the reed is wrapped around the place in pain to absorb it. Also if it is hot outside, they roll the white part of the reed in their hands and split it open, placing the reed on their forehead. In this stage, it is very cool to the touch. The white part of the reed is also used to help ease alcohol-related hangovers. It is a primary source of food. They also make a reed flower tea.

Local residents fish ispi, carachi and catfish. Trout was introduced to the lake from Canada in 1940, and kingfish was introduced from Argentina. Uros also hunt birds such as seagulls, ducks and flamingos, and graze their cattle on the islets. They barter totora reeds on the mainland in Puno to get products they need, such as quinoa and other foods.

The Uros do not reject modern technology: some boats have motors, some houses have solar panels to run appliances such as televisions, and the main island is home to an Uros-run FM radio station, which plays music for several hours a day.

We were surprised when we saw the Solar Panels!

Early schooling is done on several islands, including a traditional school and a school run by a Christian church. Older children and university students attend school on the mainland, often in nearby Puno.^[Wikipedia^]

We truly enjoyed visiting the Islands. We had fun with the residents, rode one of their amazing reed boats, saw a demonstration on how their island is built and even visited an island that is actually a ‘Bed and Breakfast’! It would have been fun to spend a night there!