America, erroneously called the "new" world, has a rich and ancient cultural tradition that is known as pre-Columbian. The conquering Spaniards saw the ethnic groups that inhabit Ecuador today as "primitive". In fact many people have a hard time understanding native American Culture. The XVI Spanish tried to eradicate indigenous beliefs and customs. Fortunately, many ethnic groups retain their traditional way of life and belief systems. In the colonial era, the Spaniards imposed Catholicism. To this day, many of the indigenous cultures have adopted this faith. However, they maintain their original language, dress and artistic expressions. Especially in the rain forest, many ethnic groups are still isolated and have little contact with Western culture. To this day, they maintain a way of life similar to the way their ancestors lived over 500 years ago.

In Ecuador, when we speak of mega-diversity we speak not only of our magnificent biological world, but we also refer to the human factor. Our bio-diversity and ethnic-diversity is rich and different, with characteristics depending on the natural environment of the Coast, the Highlands and the Rainforest.



THE CULTURES OF THE COAST
The oldest known cultures of America lived on the Ecuadorian coast (8800 a 3500 B.C.). The cultures that subsist to this day are three different groups: the Awá, the Chachis or Cayapas and the Tsachilas or Colorados. They live in the tropical rainforest on the west Andes and possibly settled there escaping from the invasion of the Incas from Peru (XV Century) or from the Spaniards (XVI Century).

THE AMAZONIAN CULTURES
Many archeologists sustain that some of the oldest cultures that survived (over 10,000 years) are actually from this tropical humid rainforest, impossible to reach for many centuries. In the "Cosmo vision” of these indigenous groups, the human being is a part of the "Amazanga" (rainforest) and the human spirit wanders in this forest every dawn. The human spirit can enter an eagle or a serpent or a jaguar, each one with a symbolism as to their nature according to their beliefs. The rainforest provides their food, medicinal plants, and spiritual richness. To these people, the tropical rainforest is their home, their drugstore, their supermarket, and their religion; thus, their extreme respect to the ecological balance. These people are neither naturalists nor consumers. They are apparently very poor (according to modern world economical standards), however, they have a rich spiritual life and live in peace surrounded by their families, taking from nature only what they need for survival and taking time to meditate and enlighten their spiritual selves. To share a few days of their normal lives is an incredibly enriching experience. The Kapawi project has considered this, and offers a fantastic opportunity. The Ashuar Community, together with a tourist company, is co-managing this unique travel experience



THE HIGHLANDS
The cultures of the highlands are by no means the oldest but the most visited and known, probably because of their geographical location on the Andean Highlands with access by roads and highways.

Many of these communities share their lives with other Ecuadorian cultures and it is fantastic how they still maintain their cultural manifestations through dress, language (Quichua), and festivities. Just 100 km. north of Quito you can visit the Otavalo Indian Market, a must for any tourist that comes to Ecuador.
This market offers wonderful weavings, tapestry, rugs, bags, and more products of the hard working community of Otavalo. These people are very skillful and artistic.

Families work together and then sell together at the fair. Transactions take place most quietly with bargaining and all. These are a very proud people that have not lost their cultural identity despite the fact that mestizos and whites inhabit Otavalo city as well, and also that they all have televisions to expose them to the modern globalized world.

Otavalo Indians travel around the world merchandising their goods.

You might find them in your trips through many European capitals, absolutely identifiable through their unique dress. Other communities also take their handicrafts to sell at the famed Otavalo Fair.

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