Text derived from the Ministry of Culture of Ecuador.
Most of Ecuador's population self-identify as mestizo although there are some who prefer to adhere to a white / European cultural legacy, mainly in the large cities, where there are also mulattoes, zambos (Afro-Indigenous) and various small groups of immigrants from other countries and continents. Afro Ecuadorians live in all regions of the country, however. One concentration occurs on the north coast in the province of Esmeraldas and, the second, in the Chota Valley, between the provinces of Imbabura and Carchi. There are two main concentrations of people of African descent in the country. Most of Ecuador's indigenous communities are integrated into mainstream culture to varying extents, but some communities still practice their own customs, particularly in the far reaches of the Pacha basin. There has also been significant migration from the countryside to the city. The community of the Awa lives in the north and, on the Pacific Coast, the Chachi, Huancavilcas and Tsáchilas. The Quichuas, comprised of the Otavalo, Salasacas, Canaris and Saraguros, reside in the Andes and Austral Mountains. The Tagaeri, relatives of the Huaorani, compose another group residing in this area but this was declared as "intangible" by the State, in respect to their desire to live isolated from civilization. The most well-known Amazonian indigenous nationalities are: Huaorani, Achuar, Shuar, Cofan, Siona-Sequoia and Záparo Shiwiar. In its three continental regions, 15 indigenous nationalities coexist with different traditions and worldviews.
Ethnically, its culture is defined by the presence of mestizos, indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian and white, while geographically this is reflected throughout the different regions, all rich with specificities. In order to analyse Ecuador’s culture, both its ethnic and regional diversity should be taken into consideration. In the Amazon, there are more than 600000 inhabitants, while 17000 reside in the Galapagos Islands. On the Pacific Coast, the figure is closer to six million. From this total, more than five and a half million live in the Sierra. Ecuador is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country.
0 kommentar(er)
