Making An Island

You must be wondering how these islands were created; I know I was curious.  They dive to the bottom of Lake Titicaca (where the islands are located) and use a big saw to cut off big sections of the roots of the reeds.  When cut free, they float to the top of the water.  Several of them are gathered, tied together with pegs and cord and floated into place.  Eventually the sections grow together.  The new island is connected to the stable reeds using more posts and cords.  Cut reeds are layered on top of the island, first in one direction and then a second layer in the opposite direction.  Occasionally the island floor has to be replenished with new reeds.

A couple of the men demonstrated the process.