Cutting reeds south of Riobamba, Ecuador

A woman in a purple shirt and a fedora hat cuts reeds in a marshy area. A bundle of cut reeds floats in the water at her side.Reeds serve many purposes in traditional Andean building practices. They can be made into a surprisingly strong boat, they provide the framework for thatched-roofs, and they can be fashioned into a myriad of basket shapes. The knowledge needed to work reeds into their many useful products is passed down within families of Quechua-speaking peoples.