The Saraguros maintain their independence and strong cultural ties to their Inca ancestors
Oct 8, 2022 | 0 comments
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By David Morrill
With the notable exception of the Otavalan craftspeople and merchants, no other indigenous Ecuadorian community has maintained its ethnic identity like the Saraguros.
Among Ecuadorians, the Saraguro people stand out for their distinctive dress.
Centered around the town of Saraguro, 75 miles south of Cuenca, the Saraguro nation, which numbers between 30,000 and 40,000, has maintained an enduring presence in the rural areas of the southern Ecuadorian provinces of Loja, Azuay and Zamora Chinchipe; some say it dates back 500 years, others say for much longer.
Although they have recently developed a strong crafts tradition, the Saraguros are best known to the outside world for their distinctive appearance. They dress in black, women in home-woven pleated skirts, men in knee-length trousers. Both wear matching woolen ponchos, often with shawls with orange and red accents, and white felt hats. Both men and women keep their hair in a long, single braid.
Many claim that the black dress is a sign of respect and mourning for the Inca leader Atahuallpa, betrayed and murdered by the Spanish, who ruled the area before the conquest; others, however, say originated much later. Whether the story is true or not, it bolsters the Saraguros’ strong respect and connection to the Incas. Many within the community, in fact, claim direct Inca ancestry.
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Festivals and street performances are popular among the people of Saraguro.
More:
https://cuencahighlife.com/the-saraguro-people-of-southern-ecuador-maintain-their-independence-and-strong-ties-to-their-incan-ancestors/
