LOS SARAGURO ENG1.pptx

The Saraguro, Ecuador

EPSULA team

The Saraguro, Ecuador

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General Information Source: EPSULA, USC Name: Saraguro Ethnonym : Saraguro, composed of two words meaning corn and worm Linguistic group: Kichwa Approximate population: 60,000 (in 2023)

Location: Southern provinces of Ecuador, specifically in the provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe.

Photo: EPSULA, UDA, 2023

Map: EPSULA, USC, 2023

Society The Saraguro people are one of the most representative groups of the mitimaes who were relocated during the Inca Empire. They settled in the southern region of Ecuador, specifically in the provinces of Loja and Zamora Chinchipe, where they still reside today. The Saraguros are among the Indigenous peoples who have preserved their culture and traditions since Incan times. They have an approximate population of 60,000 inhabitants, distributed across 183 communities, with a strong community-based political organization. They are bilingual, speaking both Spanish and Kichwa. The name Saraguro comes from two Kichwa words: Sara meaning “corn” and guro meaning “worm.” The Saraguro cosmogony is based on the Chakana or Andean cross, which represents duality and complementarity. In the Chakana, the four elements of life Air, Water, Earth, and Fire are represented, and are linked to the four Andean times: Kulla, Kapak, Pawkay, and Inti, which align with the solstices and equinoxes.

EPSULA recommends watching: Interview with Rosa Guamán Interview with Salvador Gualán LINKS to other videos from the same region inhabited by communities SARAGURO

PHOTO: EPSULA, UDA, 2023