01 QOLLQA ROUTE
MIL CENTRO AND KOLLPARAY
6 HRS APPROX.
TASTING MENU INCLUDED
A guided walk led by local families from the Kollparay sector, the neighboring community of K'acllaraccay, and connectors from the Mater team. The hike centers on the Qollqa Mater, an experimental space for conservation, memory, and food security in the area.
Qollqa Mater
The Qollqa Mater is a contemporary reinterpretation of pre-Inca and Inca storage systems, articulating traditional knowledge with current research. It was built together with the K'acllaraccay community and is located in the Kollparay sector. It is a living space where food research, preservation, and community exchange converge.
[01] MIL
We begin at MIL with an introduction to Mater, its methodology, and research projects. We share an infusion of local and seasonal plants, traditionally used in Andean communities for their medicinal properties.
[02] Host's House
At the next stop, a family from Kollparay welcomes us into their home and shares how they build and organize their houses for food and seed conservation. Here, we also prepare and taste some traditional foods, using local ingredients and utensils.
[03] Path to the qollqa
We continue along the routes that connect the community with their chacras (croplands), learning about the agricultural practices that sustain the crops and how plantings are organized to combat pests without resorting to the use of agrochemicals.
[04] Qollqa Mater
At the Qollqa Mater, we experience two moments. Outside, we observe the landscape while learning about the history of the ancient qollqas: what they stored, how they worked, and why they were important. We continue with the origin of the Qollqa Mater and the k'intu, an offering of three coca leaves to the apus before entering. Inside, we experience the principles of light, temperature, and conservation. Under the central oculus, we participate in a chicha ritual and learn about the biological signals that guide Andean planting and harvesting.
[05] Reinterpretation of mote
We take a break to taste a reinterpretation of mote, a food that accompanies work in the fields, while learning about some past knowledge used to determine the hours of the day.
[06] Moray and botanical route
We walk back to MIL, stopping to observe the local flora and its uses. Before arriving, we rest in front of the Moray archaeological site to learn about its history, theories regarding its origin and function, and its connection to the culinary proposals of Virgilio Martínez.
[07] Drinks and distillates
The immersion concludes with a tasting of three beverages made from roots and tubers created by the MIL Liquids team.
[08] World of MIL (tasting menu)
Some of the ingredients, processes, and territories observed during the walk reappear transformed in the tasting menu, connecting the outdoor landscape to the kitchen.
