Ecuador by Grace Gillman

## Ecuador

Ecuador is a small portion of the vibrance that Latin America has to offer. The country is located in the northern part of South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean on one side, with Peru and Colombia on the other. Ecuador is home to the Andes Mountains, and has an extremely diverse climate, ranging from cold and frosty mountainous ranges to hot and humid coastal areas. Mountainous regions are home to their agricultural industry, as well as animals such as llamas and alpacas. Coastal regions are home to urbanism, tourism, and suffer from poverty and overpopulation.

The country declared independence from Spain in 1822, and is full of Spanish/European architecture in many of its major cities. Spanish is the national language of Ecuador, however there are a number of Indigenous languages widely spoken. Majority of the country’s population is a mix of Mestizo, African, and European ancestry. As a result of the slave trade, about 7% of the population is Afro-Latino, with about 7% of the population being of European descent due to Spanish colonialism. Because the Mestizo/indigenous population is extremely large, traditional customs and rituals are a very large part of Ecuadorian culture. Traditional Ecuadorian garments can often be seen, consisting of hats, long skirts, and embroidered shirts.

Ecuador is diverse in political affiliation, and consists of an extremely left leaning side as well as a more conservative, traditional right-winged side. Despite it's conservativity, Ecuador strongly advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and is one of several Latin American countries to legalize same-sex marriage. Similarly to the US, Ecuadorians are protected against same-sex marriage discrimination under the law, but are still subject to harassment and scrutiny in the eyes of society. Individuals are given the option to declare their gender identity, regardless of sex/gender assigned at birth. The country still has a ways to go, but is heading in the right direction when it comes to the rights of their LGBTQ+ community.

## Colonization + Decolonization

Prior to Spanish colonization, Ecuador was home to a mostly indigenous population, composed of Inca and smaller Indigenous groups residing in mostly rural areas. The arrival of the 1500’s came a new wave of terror across the region. Spanish conquistadors arrived across the land, bringing weapons, disease, and oppressive tactics against the natives that lived there. The Indigenous populations battled the conquistadors to retain ownership of their land, resources, and materials, but were no match for the military and government power of the Europeans. Cities were burnt to the ground, and tens of thousands of natives were killed or forced into slavery. This region of what is now Ecuador, would fall under the reign of the Spanish empire, with many small Indigenous communities still residing in rural areas (to this day, as well).

A new society arose, thus forming a hierarchy based on racial caste. Those of Spanish (*white)* descent remained at the top, the mixed/Mestizo population *(those of both Indigenous and Spanish descent)* made up the middle class, and the Indigenous population was subjected to lower class status and the brutality that it would be accompanied with. Indigenous Ecuadorians were subject to slavery, forced religion, loss of identity, and dehumanization at the hands of the colonizers.

After hundreds of years of oppression, Ecuador achieved independence from Spain in 1820. By this time, the country had become visibly full of European influence and architecture, and adopted a combination of culture influenced by both Native Ecuadorian and Spanish customs and societal norms. There was now a large Mestizo population, however the Indigenous community still remained lower class.

The Indigenous population remains widespread across the country to this day, however so does the concept of ethnic superiority as ethnocentrism is still the narrative. Native Ecuadorians are at a higher risk of poverty, with things like colorism and the oppression of Indigenous peoples remaining extremely prevalent in Ecuador. Centuries of colonization have resulted in a strong sense of Indigenous pride for those communities still remaining.

## Social Justice Warrior- Dolores Cacuango

Dolores Cacuango was an Indigenous Ecuadorian woman, who dedicated her life to fighting for liberation and equal opportunity for the Indigenous population. Throughout her career, she advocated for the rights of women, along with access to education and employment, amongst other things.

Dolores Cacuango was born in October of 1881, in a small Quechua community located within the Andes Mountains. She spent her early years living on a hacienda, in an adobe hut with her family. These haciendas were inhabited by numerous families, all living on the same piece of land owned and operated by the landowner. During this era, this was common. Families often worked for free and were subjected to the harsh treatment and cruel punishment of the landowners in which they worked for. Throughout her time living at the hacienda, Dolores was outspoken about the harassment and sexual assault experienced by the women living there. Her first hand experience sparked Dolores Cacuango’s passion to change this hierarchical system of oppression geared towards Indigenous communities.

Upon entering adulthood, Dolores led revolts against the harsh tyranny of the hacienda landowners. Among her various forms of protest, Dolores Cacuango  organized a march of over 1,000 Indigenous people, and led the way to the capital city of Quito, to demand that the President do something about the treatment of Indigenous people. Dolores became targeted by the police, and had to remain hidden for the time being. In 1944, Cacuango helped found the Ecuadorian Federation of Indians. This organization was strongly affiliated with both the Communist Party and the Socialist Party, both of which Dolores Cacuango was an active member of.

She went on to establish schools for Indigenous students, giving them the opportunity to learn to read + write, in both Spanish and Quechua. In 1963, the government shut down these schools, and banned Quechua from being taught as an official language. Dolores was forced to go into hiding, once again. She knew the risks that this posed, but did not let it deter her from pursuing the change in which she was so passionate about.

The legacy of Dolores Cacuango still remains. She is known as a prominent figure in the feminist movement and as a strong advocate for Indigenous women’s rights. It is said that the activism of Dolores Cacuango has paved the way for present day activist groups fighting for her same cause. Her passion in the fight against white supremacy and the rights of Indigenous peoples remains influential to this day.

## Sources

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Valencia, Alexandria. "Ecuador's prisons blighted by state abandonment- IACHR", *Reuters. Ecuador's prisons blighted by state abandonment -IACHR | Reuters* (Accessed May 9th, 2022).

Narotsky, Skyler. "This Indigenous Community in Ecuador is Overcoming Centuries of Oppression", *Global Citizen. This Indigenous Community in Ecuador Is Overcoming Centuries of Oppression (globalcitizen.org)* (Accessed May 9th, 2022).

"Ecuador Approves Same Sex Marriage as LGBTQ+ Groups Hail Landmark Week", *World Economic Forum. Ecuador approves same-sex marriage as LGBT+ groups hail landmark week | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)* (Accessed May 9th, 2022).

“Dolores Cacuango Quilo: Bibliography”, *Lifepersona. Dolores Cacuango Quilo: Biography | Life Persona* (Accessed May 9th, 2022).

“The Life of Dolores Cacuango And Her Struggle For Justice”, *teleSUR. The Life of Dolores Cacuango And Her Struggle For Justice | Analysis | teleSUR English* (Accessed May 10th, 2022).

Brown, Kimberly. “In the Footsteps of Ecuador’s ‘Mama Warrior’”, *Atlas Oscura. In the Footsteps of Ecuador's 'Mama Warrior' - Atlas Obscura* (Accessed May 10th, 2022).[2][3]