Catacaos is a city located 2,500 kilometers away from the Bolivian capital La Paz. At an altitude of 23 meters above sea level, it is a large valley that has become what La Razón calls it “the artisan capital of Peru”.

In the Calle Comercio, artisans have been working and selling their art for 200 years.

“The ceramics, the silverware and the goldsmith’s, in addition to the headgear, are the standards of Catacaos”, said La Razón. “I have been an artisan since I was 12 years old, as were my parents and my grandparents”, José Luis Rodríguez Moncada, an artisan of this region told the aforementioned media.

One of the main productions of artisans is ceramics, that tourists buy as funny souvenirs because of the characters and situations they depict.  “To get an idea of how the Cataqueños are artisans, suffice to say that some 600 families, some 2.400 people are dedicated to silverware and goldsmithing according to the silversmith Pedro Aguirre de Dios”, according to La Razón.
They have also made jewelry for the Miss Peru pageant, as you could have seen in 2015 when Laura Spoya, a participant, wore a small fighting cock made with silver threads.
This small town, which is half an hour from the sea, is also known for its straw hats and also their woodwork.

(Source)
(Cover Photo Pixabay)

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