Unkuna Inner Cloths

Unkuna Inner Cloths for Mesa Ritual & Healing Work

Unkuna inner cloths, also known as Wachala, are sacred handwoven textiles used within Andean shamanic traditions to hold and protect the most personal spiritual items of the mesa. Crafted by shamanic communities — most notably the Q’ero people of Peru, descendants of the ancient Inca — these cloths represent the inner world of ceremony and healing work.

Smaller than mesa cloths and mantas, Unkuna cloths are traditionally used to wrap sacred stones, medicine bundles, and ritual artefacts, creating a protected space for prayer, intention, and personal connection. Their intricate patterns carry cultural knowledge, lineage, and spiritual meaning, woven with deep respect for Pachamama and the natural world.

Rooted in the principle of Ayni — reciprocity, balance, and harmony with nature — each inner cloth embodies both spiritual depth and living tradition, supporting ceremonial practice while preserving ancestral weaving knowledge passed down through generations.

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About Unkuna Inner Cloths

Explore the Unkuna - Inner Cloths

Unkuna inner cloths are handwoven sacred textiles created to preserve ancestral stories, spiritual knowledge, and cultural lineage.
Traditionally woven from hand-spun alpaca or llama wool and dyed with natural pigments, each cloth carries meaning through its colours, patterns, and craftsmanship.

Designs may symbolise family lineage, community identity, and elemental forces such as water, the sun, or the stars, as well as
the spiritual energy of the weaver’s lineage. Within Andean tradition,
the Unkuna represents the hidden inner spiritual world, while the outer mesa cloth reflects the external world in which ceremony takes place.

Common uses of Unkuna inner cloths include:

  • Wrapping sacred stones, crystals, and medicine bundles
  • Holding personal ritual objects within the mesa
  • Supporting despacho ceremonies and prayer offerings
  • Displaying sacred textiles respectfully as spiritual art

What Is an Inner Cloth?

Also known as a Wachala or despacho cloth, an Unkuna is a smaller personal altar cloth, typically measuring 30–45cm, and is placed inside a mesa cloth.

  • The mesa cloth represents the outer world of the ceremonial bundle
  • The Unkuna symbolises the inner world, holding personal sacred items, intentions, and prayers

Together, they create balance between inner and outer spiritual spaces.

Inner & Outer Worlds: Used Together in Ceremony

Unkuna inner cloths are traditionally used in association with a Mestana mesa cloth and a mesa tie (Watana), forming a complete ceremonial system that reflects the relationship between the inner and outer worlds.

The Unkuna holds the inner spiritual world — personal sacred items, medicine bundles, intentions, and prayers. The Mestana mesa cloth forms the outer layer, representing the visible, external world in which ceremony and healing take place. A mesa tie or Watana is
then used to wrap and bind these layers together, symbolically and
physically uniting both worlds into a single sacred bundle.

Together, these textiles create balance, containment, and protection, ensuring that what is held within the mesa is supported, honoured, and carried with intention during ritual practice.

Working Together in Ceremony

Sacred textiles work together to create a complete ceremonial system:

  • A mesa cloth forms the outer wrapping, visible during ritual and representing the external world
  • The Unkuna or inner cloth protects and holds the inner spiritual world
  • A mesa tie or Watana secures these layers together, uniting both worlds

Larger Manta cloths act as the altar itself — forming a base for sacred items, a seat for meditation, or a space for offerings. Ponchos provide personal protection and are worn during rituals, fire ceremonies, and initiations.

What Is a Despacho Cloth?

A despacho is a ceremonial prayer offering made with herbs, flowers, and symbolic foods. After the ceremony, the offering is traditionally wrapped in an Unkuna for cleansing, blessing, and release.

Larger mesa cloths (60–75cm) and altar mantas (1m+) are used to support different ceremonial functions within the ritual space.

Symbolism & Use

Unkuna inner cloths are both functional and deeply symbolic. They are crafted to honour all relations — plant, stone, animal, and spirit — and to maintain harmony with Pachamama (Mother Earth).

By choosing these cloths, you support indigenous artisans and help sustain ancient weaving traditions, ensuring that this sacred knowledge continues to be carried forward with respect.

Frequently Asked Questions About Unkuna Inner Cloths

What is an Unkuna inner cloth used for?
To hold and protect personal sacred items such as stones, medicine bundles, and ritual objects within a mesa.

Is an Unkuna the same as a Wachala?
Yes. Both names are used within Andean traditions to describe the inner cloth of the ceremonial bundle.

What size are Unkuna inner cloths?
Typically 30–45cm, making them smaller than mesa cloths and suitable for personal ritual use.

Can Unkuna cloths be used for despacho ceremonies?
Yes. They are commonly used to wrap despacho offerings after ceremony.

How is an Unkuna different from a Mesa cloth?
An Unkuna represents the inner world, while a Mesa cloth forms the outer layer used for ritual work.

See Associated Products

Unkuna inner cloths are traditionally used alongside other sacred textiles to form a complete ceremonial system: