tool
Chaquitaclla
The chaquitaclla (1) (pronounced tcha-ki-tak-li-ja) is a typical
agricultural implement in the Andes mountains of southern Peru and northern
Bolivia. The men use them to work fallow soil by tilting the clods - as
with the Spanish Laya, after which the women pow the potato tubers by hand
(2). It is not uncommon for five men to work side by side; then they tilt a
whole bar in one go. The chaquitaclla evolved from a digging stick to a
tool with a sharp metal tip, a curved or straight handle, and a footrest.
It is about 1 to 1.5 meters long and has a diameter of about 6 cm. The
footrest consists of two poles of approx. 20 cm long that are tied parallel
to each other at a height of approx. 45 cm. The wooden handle is tied to
the shaft with strips of llama or cow leather. When working on steep
slopes, a lower-placed handle - close to the footrest - is more convenient
for balancing. The stem fits into the socket of the blade, which is about
7-10 cm wide and 40 cm long. If no metal is available...