World Renown Markets & Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador

Last spring I was involved in a community development project in the amazon basin, and through that project I met Francisco Guevara, who became a good friend of mine. Francisco is a chef and culinary/gastronomy professor at a University in the city of Ibarra a couple hours north of Quito. He came to Quito to share Monday with us!

We met at Mercado Santa Clara in the morning. Francisco had some explainations for us about Ecuadorian food customs and culture. A very rich history of food descending from Ecuador’s first people groups.

The idea was that we would go to Mercado Santa Clara learn and experience the market and then actually buy food that we take back to Casa Goshen and do a cooking lesson with Francicso! It was very awesome!

Here we are trying various fruit juices! So fresh!

Once we had done our shopping, we returned to Casa Goshen. With Francisco’s help we created 4 typical Ecuadorian dishes: Seco de Pollo, Locro de Papa, Shrimp Ceviche, and a drink called Colada Morada .

Slicing and dicing!

Squeeze that orange juice! Hard labor…

Here we are making the base for the Colada Morada drink.

Lily stirring the Colada Morada. It’s called an “eat & drink” drink, made of a fairly think liquid but also fruit chunks. This especially is a very old and traditional drink that originated with indigenous first people groups here in the andes, but then was adapted when the Spanish arrived and continually influenced over time. The deep red/purple color comes not only from many types of berries but also adding purple corn flour.

This is the shrimp ceviche, a coastal dish. Absolutely delicious!

With Spanish teachers, playing cards between sessions.

We got this!!

Tuesday, Julian Guaman an indigenous community leader came and spoke to us about indigenous histories, values and rights. This has been a theme for some of our curriculum and it was an excellent talk! Ecuador attempts to consider itself a “plurinational” state, a fascinating integration and meeting places of “westernized” (mestizo) and “indigenous” thought, values and languages. Some experts suggest up to 25% of Ecuador’s population is indigenous, living in communities on the coast, within the andes range and of course in the amazon basin.

Listening to Julian Guaman.

Leaving for Otavalo! Friday through Sunday trip. (2 hour drive north)

In the small town of Peguche, we hiked up to the Peguche Cascada.

Nina and Amanda

Breakfast at our hostal in Otavalo

Saturday morning we visited a couple different workshops. Here is Jose Luis showing us how he makes some of the traditional andean flutes and hand pipes that help carry the traditional ecuadorian and andean folkloric music.

The family gave us a little concert! So beautiful. Everyone is invloved down to the youngest niña.

Daniel practicing

At a following workshop we learned the process and techniques for developing some of the textiles which has made this region of Otavalo world-famous.

We were able to feel the difference in sheep, llama, alpaca, baby alpaca, and cotton wools. Natural colorings from plants and insects. You will notice this woman is wearing a traditional dress of the region.

Market of Otavalo from above. The Plaza de los Ponchos. One of the largest and well known markets in South America, textiles dominate but you can find almost anything you’d want here.