Written, Illustrated, and Photographed By: Margo Johns

Produced By: CASA Inter-ALa Chimba

Written, Illustrated,

In Co

on and Gabriel Lopez-Mobilia, 2009 A guide for visitors

mericana

Produced By: CASA Inter-Americana, 2009

and Photographed By: Margo Johnson and Gabriel Lopez-Mobilia

llaboration with: Yacuchimba Community Tourism

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Table of Contents

The Community of La Chimba: An Introduction ............................................................................ 6

Ancient History of La Chimba......................................................................................................... 7

Recent History of La Chimba .......................................................................................................... 7

'Mama Transito' (September 10th 1909- May 10th 2009) .......................................................... 8

La Chimba Today ............................................................................................................................ 9

Clothes ......................................................................................................................................... 9

Foods.......................................................................................................................................... 10

Jobs ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Dairy Farming........................................................................................................................ 11

Agriculture ............................................................................................................................. 12

Out-migration......................................................................................................................... 12

Festivals and Music.................................................................................................................... 12

Education ................................................................................................................................... 13

Language.................................................................................................................................... 13

Religion...................................................................................................................................... 13

Medicine .................................................................................................................................... 13

Community Toursim in La Chimba............................................................................................... 14

Useful Information for Visitors ..................................................................................................... 15

Items to Bring or Buy ................................................................................................................ 15

Safety ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Money ........................................................................................................................................ 15

Water.......................................................................................................................................... 16

Weather ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Things to do in La Chimba ............................................................................................................ 17

VOLCAN CAYAMBE TRAVERSE (Cayambe Volcano) ....................................................... 17

LA LAGUNA DE SAN MARCOS (San Marcos Lake)............................................................ 18

MIRADOR CHURULOMA (Lookout from the hill ‘Churuloma’) .......................................... 18

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AGUAS THERMALES (Hot Springs) ...................................................................................... 19

CASCADA PULIZA (Puliza Waterfall).................................................................................... 19

Flora and Fauna of La Chimba ...................................................................................................... 20

Medicinal Plants......................................................................................................................... 20

The Páramo: ........................................................................................................................... 22

Wild Animals ............................................................................................................................. 22

References and Thanks .................................................................................................................. 23

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The Community of La Chimba: An Introduction

Location: Province of Pichincha, County of Cayambe, Parish of Olmedo

-2.5 hrs from Quito and 45 min from Cayambe (by bus)

-Neighboring communities of Olmedo and Pesillo

Elevation: Ranges from 2500 to 4000 meters above sea level

Population: about 1500 people, 370 families

Majority Ethnicity: Kayambi Primary Employment: Dairy Farming Center of Tourism: Yacuchimba

Welcome to the beautiful Andean community of La Chimba! Here the crisp mountain air and breathtaking scenery are complemented by a rich culture and stoic people. La Chimba is the ideal place to get a taste of high-altitude Ecuadorian wilderness with challenging hikes up the snow covered Cayambe Volcano, exploring and fishing around the pristine San Marcos Lake, and relaxing in natural thermal springs. The people of La Chimba are proud to share their way of life and Kayambi culture with visitors, including traditional foods, dances, and music. There is much to experience and learn for those lucky enough to travel to La Chimba.

This guide is intended to provide useful information to you as a visitor so that you can gain the most possible from your time here. As the authors we are not experts in the culture or natural surroundings of La Chimba. We have put together this guide based on interviews and observations within the community, and as such there is undoubtedly much more that we did not get to hear. It is our hope that this guide will grow and correct itself with future visitors and volunteers. We further hope that this guide achieves its goal of opening up La Chimba to those who visit. From this point of basic knowledge there is much more to learn and discover.

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Ancient History of La Chimba

Beginning 1500 years ago, before the time of the Incas, the area that is today La Chimba was home to the Kayambi nation. The culture was made up of a diffused group of subsistence farmers with an administrative and religious center in what is today the city of Cayambe. However, in the 1480s the Kayambi nation was prompted to join with the neighboring Otavalo and Caranqui peoples to create a military coalition against the invasion of the Inca. Together they resisted the Inca under the leadership of Nazacota Puento, and they were able to hold them off for 17 years before being defeated. The brief Inca colonization had a great impact on the Kayambi, as Quechua was imposed on the native language and Inca worldviews and tradition greatly replaced the old. Following the Inca, a new threat arrived with the Spaniards. The Spanish brought horses, Catholicism, and a drastically different culture to the area. The native peoples once again resisted the colonization through both violent protests and more covert continuation of customs, often under the guise of Catholicism. This rebellious spirit and upholding of traditions persisted even through continued oppression in the Colonial and Republican periods in the country.

Recent History of La Chimba

Despite their resistance, the people in the area of La Chimba remained oppressed until the 1960’s under the hacienda system. They were forced to work on land of wealthy hacienda owners (including Galo Plaza Lasso, Ecuador’s president from 1948-1952) as indentured servants, laboring for the rights to a tiny piece of land (minifundo or huasipungo). The conditions on the haciendas were terrible with no pay and little social infrastructure, such as schools or health centers. Eventually people came together to fight, as they have done historically, for better conditions. Groups which formed in organized resistance include Pan y Tierra (1930) and later Federacion Ecuatoriana de Indios (1944), spearheaded by Transito Amaguaña (p. 8) among others.

In the 1960’s long-needed agrarian reforms lawfully liberated indigenous communities, including La Chimba, from the hacienda system. Consequently, La Chimba became a community land cooperative in which the people continued the agricultural work they were accustomed to but for better pay and with improved infrastructure. After many years of this cooperative, members of the community opted to work their own lands individually, and the cooperative came to an end on

August 11, 1971 (kayambi.org). The lands were split up, allotting about six hectares to each family in the community.

Individual lands were progressively split into smaller and smaller pieces with new generations. Lands were divided between sons and then between the sons of sons. Today, as a result, many are left with plots of land too small to make an agricultural living from. The solution for some has been to leave the community in search of jobs in larger cities or outside the country in places like Spain or the United States. This exodus from the area has resulted in a loss of culture and tradition as the youth abandon the ways of their parents and grandparents and move away. Community tourism (p. 14) has developed in part to address this issue by providing meaningful jobs within La Chimba and working to strengthen the cultural identity of the community.

'Mama Transito' (September 10th 1909- May 10th 2009)

Transito Amaguaña, a long-time resident of La Chimba, can be best described as the

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Transito Amagua

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Martin Luther King of the indigenous peoples of Ecuador. She was "a symbol of the fight for indigenous justice" and "one of the most significant people in the fight for the defense of indigenous people's rights" (INTAG 2009). During her almost one hundred years of life, Transito worked tirelessly to better the lives of indigenous people in Ecuador, and it is partly due to her efforts that country-wide changes granting land rights and education were achieved. Transito was raised on the hacienda

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Photo Courtesy: prensaindigena.or

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r parents worked. As hacienda laborers they were little better than d servants, laboring long days for very little pay "without the right to , health, or justice" (INTAG 2009). Transito was only able to receive an up until the second grade. Despite being married at the age of fourteen

dren soon after, she did not settle down quietly and assume a life like her She instead became very active in seeking changes from the status quo by o better conditions for families working on the haciendas. Transito was one of the first organized protests by hacienda workers in Olmedo in 1931. worked with fellow activists Jesus Gualavisi, Nela Martinez, and Dolorez

Cacuango to found the Federacion Ecuatoriana de Indios (FEI) in 1944. In 1945 she helped establish four bilingual schools (teaching Spanish and Kichua) in the Cayambe region. For her activist work, Transito was accused by the government of supporting socialist and communist party agendas. She was briefly imprisoned after being accused of trafficking arms and money. Despite these attempts at governmental dissuasion, Transito kept fighting for the rights of her people. Her work was rewarded beyond even her original goals when, in the 1960's, country-wide land reforms broke up the hacienda system altogether. This great change allowed people to own and work their own land for the first time in hundreds of years. Transito passed the second half of her life living peacefully in La Chimba. Upon her death she was honored with a huge funeral in the community to which thousands of supporters from throughout the country were in attendance. Even the president of Ecuador came to pay tribute. Following her death, the government of Ecuador awarded La Chimba with a large grant to build a memorial and cultural museum about her life and work. This center, officially titled Centro Cultural de Resistencia Indigena y Transito Amaguaña, will be located in the old hacienda house. In this location both visitors and the people of La Chimba can continue to remember and celebrate this beloved figure.

A local couple recalling hard times on the haciendas.

Transito Amaguaña was a spirited member of La Chimba. She is an excellent symbol not only in her own right but also for the community as a whole, a people who have fought for their beliefs, land, and culture throughout the ages.

La Chimba Today

Clothes

Traditional Kayambi dress is still worn today by the residents of La Chimba. Women are often in colorful skirts (centros), embroidered shirts (camisas bordadas), felt hats, black or white felt shoes (alpargates), layered golden necklaces (hualcas), orange or red bead bracelets (manillas),and colorful wool shawls (chalinas). When the weather is especially cold, dark leather caps rimmed in fur are worn. Men are seen day to day in rubber boots and large ponchos, though they dress up in more traditional samados (fur chaps) for fiestas.

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Foods Foods

Common foods in La Chimba include soups, potatoes, corn, lima beans, and meats. More traditional foods are served for special occasions. Some dishes that you may encounter include:

Common foods in La Chimba include soups, potatoes, corn, lima beans, and meats. More traditional foods are served for special occasions. Some dishes that you may encounter include:

Roasted Cuy. Main Plates (Platos de Sal):Main Plates (Platos de Sal):

Cuy Asado: This dish is typical of the Ecuadorian highlands and is one of the most important meals during indigenous festivals, particularly during the Fiestas de las Octavas in La Chimba . The cuy is rotated over coals until it is nicely roasted, then placed over a bed of lettuce alongside potatoes with a spicy peanut sauce.

Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

Uchujacu: Also known as “Harina de Ocho Granos” (Eight-grained Flour), this is another typical dish of the indigenous communities of Cayambe county. It is essentially a thick soup prepared from a mix of native grains of the region including ground maiz, barley, wheat, morocho (a type of corn), and quinoa, along with dried lima beans, peas, and lentils. The hearty soup usually contains potatoes and pork.

Cuyucho: This soup is a variation of Uchujacu, accompanied by cuy and egg, common in La Chimba.

Drinks (Bebidas)

Chicha de Jora: This typical drink of the Ecuadorian highlands is indispensable during the various indigenous festivals of Ecuador. An important ingredient in the drink is jora, which is made from ground corn grains that have been left to germinate. The jora is mixed into a pot of water with panela (brown sugar) and other spices like clove and cinnamon until it thickens. The drink is often left to ferment over a few days before being consumed.

Amor Seco: This liquor, made from rondobalín, a fruit similar to grape, is popular in La Chimba because it does not cause ‘chuchaqui’ (hangovers) the next day.

Aguas Aromaticas: A variety of aromatic teas are made from herbs such as hierba luisa, a plant similar to lemongrass.

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Jobs Jobs

Dairy FarmingDairy Farming

An overwhelming majority of the families in La Chimba work with dairy cows. There was a community-wide switchover to this source of income about five years ago, when it became evident that dairy would prove more economically advantageous than growing crops, given the small amount of land each family possessed. Families work seven days a week with the cows, waking up to milk at 4 am and going out again in the afternoon. It is hard labor maintaining and milking all of the cows, and there are no weekends in this profession. The pastures also must be cared for, especially during the dry season (June- September) when they require irrigation.

Centro de Acopio.

Following the early morning and afternoon milking, acars, on motorcycles and bikes, riding horses, and walking mthe La Chimba Centro de Acopio. The Acopio is a communbusiness with over 250 member families. The center has lar

of the mthen soldother malocated icoming tcooperatChimba better prForming

qualified the group for non-governmental aid to build the indand maintenance center (the Acopio). The Acopio also offermembers, including animal vaccinations.

The switch over to dairy has proven relatively profitabHowever, some community members realize that having thedependent on one export is dangerous, putting all of their finof greater market powers. This is one of the reasons that alte

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Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

stream of families in akes its way towards

ity cooperative ge steel tanks where all ilk is collected and in bulk to Nestle and jor milk distributors n Cayambe. By ogether and forming a ive, the people of La are able to demand a ice for their milk. the cooperative also ustrial milk collection

s other benefits to its

le for La Chimba. entire community so ancial fates at the will rnative economic

development projects, including community tourism (p. 14), among others, are being developed. These efforts are important both to create meaningful employment in the area and to ensure that not all of the community’s eggs (or milk, as it were) are in one basket.

development projects, including community tourism (p. 14), among others, are being developed. These efforts are important both to create meaningful employment in the area and to ensure that not all of the community’s eggs (or milk, as it were) are in one basket.

AgricultureAgriculture

Due to the dairy switchover, agriculture is limited within La Chimba. Families may grow small amounts of potatoes, lima beans, corn, wheat, and other staples for consumption in the home, but these are rarely sold in the market. Few families survive solely on growing crops.

Out-migration

Due to an absence of work in La Chimba, many community members (especially youth) leave in search of jobs elsewhere. It is common to move to Quito or out of the country, to Spain or the United States, for employment. Some families in La Chimba sustain themselves on remittance payments from these family members. This out-migration is another issue that community tourism and other economic development projects seek to rectify.

Festivals and Music

Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

Many locals play their own music during festivities. They dress in traditional attire and dance, often to the unique and distinctive Kayambi rhythm called Xuan. A few festivities celebrated throughout the year include Carnaval in February (Ash Wednesday), Inti-Raymi (Fiestas of the Sun) in July and August, and Las Fiestas Doradas de Chagra (Golden celebrations of the cowboy) in the second week of August. The latter is one of the largest celebrations in La Chimba, and it honors many things, including the date of Ecuadorian land reforms. It also is an event giving thanks to the sun and asking for a good harvest that year.

The Inti-Raymi festivities are celebrated all over the region by different indigenous groups. The fiestas generally last for a few months with cultural events and dancing in all of the participating communities.

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Education

There are two bilingual elementary schools in La Chimba; one in the sector of Centro Civico and one in the sector of Puliza. The bilingual schools teach Spanish, Kichua, and some very basic English. There is also a kindergarten (jardin) and a daycare (guarderia). Students normally go on to middle and high school in nearby Olmedo or outside cities for more specialized schools. Those who can afford to continue their education at the university level generally do so in cities like Ibarra, Guayaquil, Otavalo or Quito. In recent years it has been more common for youth to envision themselves pursuing university education. However, most do not have the economic means to do so, instead finding work in other areas.

Language

The primary language spoken in La Chimba is Spanish. A few elders in the community also speak the indigenous tongue of Kichua. The language has not been passed on to more recent generations, though efforts are being made to revive it with bilingual schools. La Chimba has started to cultivate a new pride in its fading traditions and culture, including the speaking of Kichua, which had been neglected for many years in the face of economic hardship and globalization.

Religion

La Chimba is a majorly Catholic community (more than 90%) with a minority of evangelicals. Others retain pre-conquest beliefs, often mixed with practices of Catholicism.

Medicine

While visits to the health care center in Olmedo and to local pharmacies are common, many community members still rely on native medicinal plants to cure common ailments. Even as she neared the age of one hundred, La Chimba resident Transito Amaguaña (p. 8) refused to go to the doctor, instead staying healthy with herbal teas and other remedies. Some community members also opt to receive a Cuy Diagnostico from knowledgeable elders when they feel unwell. In this procedure a live guinea pig is rubbed vigorously over a patient’s body until it dies. The animal dies very quickly when it touches the part of the person that is unhealthy. Once the animal is dead, it is opened up to determine the location of the patient’s ailment, which is said to be reflected in the guinea pig’s body. Herbal remedies are then recommended based on the findings. Interested visitors are welcome to have a Cuy Diagnostico performed on them, though in warning this

can be a shocking process. For those who encounter more serious medical issues a hospital is available in Cayambe.

Community Tourism in La Chimba

"With the cultural and natural richness that La Chimba has to offer, it is favorable to share with the world the natural beauty and traditions that this marvelous territory contains, including the opportunity to enjoy unforgettable moments and through this to generate sources of work that benefit the economy of the country." - Yacuchimba / Condor Huasi (translated from Spanish)

Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

The group Condor Huasi (Kichua for 'House of the Condor') was formed in 2003 by a handful of proactive youth in the community. Condor Huasi wanted to address the issues of out migration and cultural degredation by providing alternative sources of meaningful employment within La Chimba. Developing community tourism was one means of doing this. Tourism helps to provide jobs within the community while sharing the natural beauty and traditional culture La Chimba has to offer. Since the formation of Condor Huasi, the group has worked with NGO's such as CASA Inter-Americana to help bring in visitors and volunteers to the area and to build up tourism infrastructure.

In recent years, the members of Condor Huasi have adopted the name Yacuchimba as the official title of the community tourism project. The name is a Kichua word meaning ‘braided river’, referring to the many water sources that come together in the area, including the Izmuquiro, Sapopampa, Golondrinas, Jatun Turo, Charpar, and La Chimba rivers. The name ‘La Chimba’ is an abbreviation of the original name of ‘Yacuchimba’. The members of the group believe that the title is more representative of the whole community and all of their projects.

Although the community tourism project in La Chimba is developing successfully, the members of Condor Huasi realize that tourism is not an end-all

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solution to economic and cultural issues within the community. Because of this, they are working to build up other means of employment and cultural retention projects to promote sustainable development in the area. For example, the group wishes to promote the development of handicrafts and milk products (such as cheese and yogurt) to sell outside the area. The group also hopes that with time the whole community will join in their efforts and take part in both the cultural and monetary benefits tourism and other projects have to offer. In this way all of La Chimba can be enriched and advanced.

For visitors to La Chimba, there are ample amenities and activities that have been organized by the members of Yacuchimba. Host families are available to accommodate guests for as long as they desire to stay. The families provide a room and three hot meals a day. The remodeled hacienda house is also available to house and feed guests. Camping is an option for interested visitors. The natural surroundings of La Chimba offer many great hikes and destinations for tourists, and the community has specially designed programs to share traditional foods and festivities with guests.

Useful Information for Visitors

Items to Bring or Buy

-Layers of warm clothes, including hats, scarves, socks and gloves

-Rain gear including a good rain jacket and rubber boots

-A small towel

Safety

La Chimba is a very safe community with very few problems to speak of. Issues only really come up during fiestas when a lot of strangers are in the area. It is safe to walk in the streets at night, which are very quiet as most must wake up early to milk their cows.

Money

The smaller your bills, the better. Change is very useful for small vendors and bus rides. US dollars are the national currency.

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Water

Water for consumption is generally bottled or boiled. Host families will boil water before including it in soups or juices. For your drinking water you can buy a couple of bottles from a small community store. These can be refilled with boiled water from your host family (ask: ¿Puede hervir agua para tomar?).

Weather

The weather in La Chimba is pleasant when the sun is out but can become very chilly and windy at night. Daytime rain is also common, especially during the wetter months of the year (November- February).

Things to do in La Chimba

There are many activities for visitors to take part in both within and around La Chimba. Within the community you might…

Try traditional foods (see p. 10)

Experience Andean dances

Check out the ancient petro glyph in the local school (Petroglipho La Chimba)

Learn how to milk a cow with your host family

Attend fiestas (p. 12)

Learn about traditional crafts, such as embroidery, from locals

Experience a Cuy Diognostico to detect any bodily ailments (p. 14)

There are also many natural attractions to visit around La Chimba. Certified guides are available to take you to each destination. Get your hiking boots on and check out:

VOLCAN CAYAMBE TRAVERSE

(Cayambe Volcano)

Location: SE of La Chimba Duration: (Day Trip) 1 hour by car, 6-7 hours hiking Bring: Waterproof boots (for snow), rain jacket, lots of water, warm clothes Description: steep hike on trails and through snow, may rain

Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba The Cayambe volcano is covered in snow all year long as it is 5790 meters above sea level. It is the third highest peak in Ecuador. Found in the western part of the ecological reserve of Cayambe-Coca, it is covered by an enormous glacier. The majestic white volcano is relatively untouched by tourists, compared to other more well-known locations. Hike up through the Páramo (p. 22) to the glacier with certified guides, and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way.

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LA LAGUNA DE SAN MARCOS (San Marcos Lake)

Location: East of La Chimba in the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve

Duration: 1 hour each way by car

Bring: rain jacket and warm clothes

Description: fishing, hiking, ride a cable cart (tarabita) through forest and over the San Jeronimo River, horseback, biking

Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

Located in the Cayambe-Coca ecological reserve neighboring La Chimba, the beatiful San Marcos lagoon is surrounded by a variety of flora and fauna typical of the Andean Páramo. Here, tourists can fish and enjoy a scenic view of the Cayambe volcano. Visitors are also able to hike or ride horseback around the ecological reserve, and take a ride in a cable cart (tarabita) through trees and over the San Jeronimo river nearby. Camping is also an option for interested visitors. The Ministry of the Environment in conjunction with members of Condor Huasi have worked hard to protect the lagoon and its surroundings.

MIRADOR CHURULOMA (Lookout from the hill ‘Churuloma’)

Location: South East of La Chimba

Duration: (Day Hike) 6-7 hours total

Bring: wind jacket, water

Description: steep hike, can be very windy, beautiful view of La Chimba and neighboring communities and of Cayambe Volcano Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

Right at the edge of La Chimba, the Mirador Churuloma offers a breathtaking view of the entire community from the top of a steep hill that is thought to have been a lookout for pre-Incan soldiers. Traditionally, crowds of people from La Chimba would climb to the top of the hill to call out to father God to gift them with rain.

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AGUAS THERMALES (Hot Springs)

Location: East of La Chimba

Duration: 20-30 minute car ride + 1 hour hike

Bring: swim suite, towels, boots, water

Description: steep ups and downs to pools

Photo Courtesy: Yacuchimba

The hot springs were originally discovered in the 1960’s when people were herding their livestock in the area and saw vapor coming out of the ground. When they came across the pools of hot water, many came to believe that the area was sacred and often came to purify themselves in the springs. Today the 42°C waters are known to originate from the volcanic activity of the nearby Cayambe. Visitors can bathe in the hot springs while enjoying the diverse vegetation of the region.

CASCADA PULIZA (Puliza Waterfall)

Location: South-West of La Chimba

Duration: (Day Trip) 30 minutes by car + 5 hour hike up

Bring: rain gear, boots, a picnic lunch

Description: very steep, diverse vegetation with large trees, fishing, considered a sacred place where ancient peoples would give religious offerings

The Cascada Puliza is considered as a sacred location where religious offerings and purification rituals were traditionally held by the people of the area. The beautiful waters are surrounded by diverse vegetation and wildlife. Visitors can visit by hiking, horseback, or biking.

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Flora and Fauna of La Chimba

La Chimba is located in one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world. There are hundreds of species of plants and animals in the area. The following are a few more common types that community members use or think are typical:

Medicinal Plants

Ajinjo: pigs are often cleaned with this plant to get rid of fleas Alfalfa: consumed as a tea for stomach pain Aliso: medicinal leaves are heated and wrapped around fractured bones, pulled tendons, and bruises Atusara: red berries were traditionally used as a soap/ antibacterial Cachserajas: a spiky plant which can be boiled with juyangilla and used to purify of bad spirits (mal aire) and to increase blood flow Caballo chupa (cola de caballo): this reed is made into a tea to treat liver problems Chilca: red stemmed plant with green leaves, common to area, used to clean strips of pork meat along with flour and salt Chulco: long stem with small green leaves, boiled into a tea to calm people experiencing rage Eucalipto (Eucalyptus): succulent stem and leaves used for coughs and congestion (just like menthol) Guara Callo (lengua de vaca- cow tongue): large leaves which look like cow tongues are coated with egg whites and placed on the body to lower fevers. Hierba Mora: narrow leaves and small green berry, mashed and applied to bruises as anti-inflammatory Hortiga: very spiky leaves are extremely painful to the touch and lead to skin irritation and itching for a day or so, traditionally rubbed on the body to cleanse of evil spirits and made into tea to treat stomach problems Huantog: Hanging bell-shaped flowers can be white, red, or yellow. Contain a potent drug that many have been taught to avoid, but is sometimes used to calm aggressive cows. Juyangilla: Boiled with cacheserajas, corn hair, and lenasa seeds to treat mal aire (depression/ bad spirits) and to increase blood flow Manzanilla: plant with many clusters of small yellow flowers, made into a tea to settle the stomach and used in the eyes like eye drops to relieve irritation. Marco: plant used to cleanse people and homes of bad spirits (mal aire), often accompanied by hortiga. Matico: triangular, rough-leaved plant whose juice is used on infected bug bites and wounds

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Penca

Menta: fragrant small-leaved herb used to make aromatic waters used to warm the body

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Mingari: red flower clusters with hard green leaves found growing on trees, used to bathe after giving birth* Penca: a spiky plant common to La Chimba with many uses. Its sweet juice is used as an energizer (and a delicious treat, see foods p. 10). It is also used to mark land boundaries between pastures. Its strong fibers are also dried and worked with to make traditional artisan goods. Pinán: medium-sized leaves are green on one side and white on the other, boiled to bathe mothers who are recovering from giving birth* Pulisa: small round leaves clustered onto thin stems, used to bathe in after birthing* Pumamaqui: large jagged leaves are named after the hand of the puma, used for covering maiz grains while making jora, an ingredient in chicha. Also used to bathe after giving birth* Sapo Jigua: a water plant which sticks to the sides of rocks in the river, used during births Sauco: slender green leaves boiled with water that is used for bathing to relieve fevers. Sunfo: plant which grows close to the ground in the páramo (p. 22), brewed into a tea for warmth and to calm the stomach. Tifo: small green leaves with tiny white seeds, sweetened and made into a tea with baking soda for upset stomach Tilo: large green leaves with large round white flower, boiled to treat colds Toronjil: leaves are brewed into a tea to help treat anxiety Tupial: almond-shaped leaves, used to bathe after birthing* Uvilla: plant with small orange fruit fed to babies to calm upset stomachs and to help them learn to speak sooner. Valeriana: medium sized spongy leaves brewed as a tea to relieve fevers Yana Chanqui (black foot): a small plant with small green leaves and a black stem, used to purge the stomach Yana Quillo: leaves are yellow on one side and green on the other, used to bathe women after they give birth*

Yura Fanga: leaves are white on one side and green on the other, used to bathe after birthing* *all boiled together to create an infusion used for bathing women who have just given birth

The Páramo:

Around La Chimba is the high-altitude area called the Páramo. This unique biome (found only in the ecuatorial region between Costa Rica and Peru) is distinguished by its “harsh climate, high levels of ultraviolet light, and wet, peasy soils” (Lonely Planet). Due to these difficult conditions only low-level shrubs and tenacious grasses can thrive. To see a bit of the Páramo all you have to do is look to the many hills and mountains around La Chimba. For example, you can take a hike up Churuloma (p. 18) where you will find yourself knee-deep in Páramo grasses blowing in waves in the exhilaratingly strong winds. Wild Animals (located in and around La Chimba): Andean Spectacled Bear Birds Condor Deer Grass Hoppers Rabbits White Tailed Deer Wolves

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References and Thanks

INTAG Newspaper. “Fallecio Amaguaña”. (July-August 2009). Pablo Vetancourt. Year 9, number 60.

Palmerlee, D., Grosberg, M., & McCarthy, C. (2006). Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. 7th Edition; Lonely Planet.

Information on history and Kayambi culture retrieved from www.kayambi.org/chimba.html (July 2009)

Some photos and information on traditional foods and landmarks attained from Yacuchimba promotional pamphlets, group proposals, and website (July 2009)

Many thanks to the people of Pijal including our host family and Yacuchimba members for all of their time and assistance in completing this guide. We would not have been able to represent the community had everyone not been so generous with their help. Thank you!

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