Research Project: Llamas vs. Alpacas (posted by Eliza)

I chose the topic of Alpacas VS Llamas because they are both so cute and I wanted to know more. I would usually do a project on the architecture or something like that but I didn't so here I am. Llamas and Alpacas are both camelids so they are basically cousins. Despite that,Llamas tower over Alpacas at around six feet and are also more than twice the weight of them with their 600pd against Alpacas mere 200. As you may know Llamas also spit while Alpacas don’t (though they can be taught if they spend too much time with those naughty Llamas.) that brings me to my actual project topic which is, 

Alpacas VS Llamas

Which is more important to Peruvians?

Methods and sources

For my project I interviewed seven people:

Yony, a tour guide of Ollantaytaymbo.

A waitress at El Olivo, a restaurant that serves alpaca.

Polita and Miguel, employees at Andean colors.

A worker at Mundo Alpacas, an alpaca museum.

Francisco, a tour guide at Sacsayhuaman.

Fernando, our tour guide on the lares trek.

I also watched three videos, I read three books and I read seven articles/websites from New York Times, history today, wildfacts.com, etc. I even tried to talk to llamas and alpacas themselves (it didn't work).

Section one: Incan times llamas

From my research I believe that in incan times Llamas were more important. The incas had not yet created the wheel and since alpacas were not strong enough to carry things, llamas suddenly had a whole lot of weight on their shoulders (figuratively and literally). Llamas were also a sacred animal for they were believed to be the messengers of Inti, the sun god. Sacrificed children were often found with little golden Llamas which were believed by the incas to lead/guide them to the gods. Llamas were also sacrificed if the inca wanted it to rain or stop raining. The inca usually sacrificed a Llama during El Niño, the heavy rains that ruined the crops. One form the inca used for getting rain from llamas was tying them on the ground, in the sun and without water. Since llamas were sent from the heavens when they called for rain the gods would give it to them. Llamas were also used for their meat and wool.

Section two: Nowadays Alpacas

You probably know that the Incas didn't have tourism. (unless you count the Concistadors but they were more terrorists than tourists.)  but nowadays there are swarms of tourists, and tourists looooove alpaca fiber. It also helps that 87% of the world’s alpacas live in Peru, so the supply is high. In the US an alpaca coat can be sold for $5,000. However, the peruvians only make $20 per alpaca every year.

Alpaca meat is also used a lot. Alpaca meat is still tough but it is not as tough as llama. I talked to a waitress at El Olivo, a restaurant in Ollantaytambo. She says she eats alpaca meat a lot at home and that she prepares the alpaca meat with corn sauce, in soups, and with chicharon. My dad and I made alpaca soup because we could not find aannyyy llamas restaurants or butchers.

On our last day in Cusco, we ate llama jerky while sitting in the Plaza de Armas. It was really hard to find, probably because it tastes awful. Part of why it tasted so awful was because of the salt, but even without the salt it tasted like my gums were bleeding.

I read an article by Heather Jasper that talked about the “Alpaca Ladies” who make their money from tourists taking photos with them and their alpacas. Since the ladies barely speak spanish (mosty quechwa), nor can they read or write, taking photos with alpacas is their best job option. On a sunny day they can earn between $5 and $10.

Conclusion:

On our trek, the porters used mules to carry our stuff. They did not use llamas, and I was not surprised. They used mules because mules can carry more weight than llamas. You may be thinking right now, “Eliza, why are you saying this?” I am saying this because it reinforces my thesis: llamas were more important in Incan times and alpacas are more important now.

Since the Spanish brought mules, llamas were kind of tossed to the side a bit. We saw llamas at Machu Picchu but they did not have any practical purpose. They were only there for tourists to take pictures.

So, my conclusion is that llamas were more important in the Inca times and alpacas are more important nowadays.