Witnessing the bridge construction on the National Mall was not only a spectacular engineering feat but also a great visual metaphor—linking the historical legacies of this Inka tradition to a contemporary context in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol. The construction of the Q'eswachaka was a central part to this year's Folklife Festival that facilitated the construction of cross-cultural connections between Peru and the United States.

One bridge builder who is also the town mayor, Beltran Eustaquio Huillca Janampa, shared his experience replicating the bridge in Washington, D.C.

http://www.festival.si.edu

Interview, editing, production: Marisol Medina-Cadena
Filmography: Albert Tong, Charlie Weber
Translation assistance: Laura Melissa Vega Meza

[Catalog No. CFV10756; Copyright 2015 Smithsonian Institution]