Indigenous Cultures
Indigenous Demographics
According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC, February 2022), Ecuador’s current population stands at 17,895,131 inhabitants. There are 14 recognized Indigenous nationalities totaling more than 1.1 million people, and they are organized in local, regional, and national organizations. Indigenous nationalities and people live mainly in the highlands (68.20%), followed by the Amazon (24.06%), with only 7.56% found on the coast. The following Indigenous nationalities were included in the 2010 Census for self-identification purposes: Tsáchila, Chachi, Epera, Awa, Kichwa, Shuar, Achuar, Shiwiar, Cofán, Siona, Secoya, Zápara, Andoa, and Waorani.
The Kichwa form the largest group (85.87%) with nearly 800,000 members. Despite low numbers of most nationalities, all are of equal importance within the context of a Multinational State. The highland province with the largest rural Indigenous population is Chimborazo, with 161,190 Indigenous inhabitants (2010). Other provinces with high numbers of Indigenous people are Imbabura and Cotopaxi, with an average of 84,500 individuals each. There are also a significant percentage of Indigenous people living in rural areas of the highland provinces of Tungurahua and Pichincha, and in the Amazonian provinces of Napo and Morona Santiago, ranging from between 50,000 to 80,000 inhabitants.
Indigenous Languages
The official language of Ecuador is Spanish, although there are dialectal differences between Sierra and Costa Spanish, Sierra Spanish differs as being the most influenced by Quechua.
​
In 2008, Ecuador amended its constitution to recognize Spanish as its official language, Spanish, Quechua and Shuar as ‘intercultural languages’ and other indigenous languages as ‘ancestral languages/ used officially by indigenous peoples in the areas they inhabit’.
More than 10 indigenous languages exist in Ecuador. Below are just a few:
-
Awapit (spoken by the Awa)
-
A’ingae (spoken by the Cofán)
-
Shuar Chicham (spoken by the Shuar)
-
Achuar-Shiwiar (spoken by the Achuar and Shiwiar)
-
Cha’palaachi (spoken by the Chachi)
-
Tsafiki (spoken by the Tsáchila)
-
Paicoca (spoken by the Siona and Secoya)
-
Wao Tededeo (spoken by the Waorani)
Indigenous Communities and the Government
Indigenous communities' relationship with the government have been strained for years, often the government has left them to live on their own and practice their own customs. In 2008, the Indigenous movements started to pick up as they were able to make Quechua a regional language despite the President's disapproval.
The country's recent political-electoral situation with Carlos Pérez, former prefect of Azuay, former activist in the Maoist Popular Democratic Movement and who, over the last decade, has become an anti-mining activist and defender of the wetlands in his province, produced a negative reaction from figures with a longer organizational career was an upcoming presidential candidate. The new government's relationship with the Indigenous movement since then has been marked by anger and frustration of false promises. Their organizations have repeatedly lent its support to government positions in exchange for a share of the power through such posts as the presidency of parliament and other public offices. However, between August and October, some of CONFENIAE’s provincial grassroots organizations in the Amazon and some Confederation of the Kichwa Nationality Peoples of Ecuador’s organizations in the highlands have begun to demand fulfillment of electoral promises, especially the freezing of fuel prices. Currently, there are ongoing protests in Ecuador as indigenous protestors have arrived to the capital of Quito (June 2022).
Indigenous Communities and Public Opinion
Talking in Spanish, she said that children who speak Quechua at her school get bullied and added that parents in her village don't want children to learn the tongue because they think it will not help children when they move to the cities for work. Many families in Ecuador all have similar belief systems, stating Quechua as an official language won't help them succeed in life. The education system in Ecuador backs this up as many schools teach English or have become bilingual schools: teaching kids from a young age, how to sepak English before Quechua.
Quechua Origins
Quechua, known as the native tongue of the Incas, has millions of speakers across South America. Pedro de Cieza de León left Spain at the age of thirteen for a life of uncertain adventure and was involved in the re-conquest of Peru from Spanish rebel forces. With government permission, Cieza de León began interviewing local officials, Inca lords, and high officials about the Inca realm and its past. From these interviews and his own research, he produced the first European chronicle of Peru, which includes natural history, ethnography, and the history of pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. As well as one of the first Quechua to Spanish dictionary.
Quechua: Official Language?
Neighboring country Peru has Quechua as one of their official languages.
​
In 2021, Peru's newly appointed prime minister surprised the nation by delivering a speech in Quechua to Congress for the first time in Peru's history. Efforts to revive and promote the language have given Indigenous communities hope that their language will become more visible and allow increase funding for bilingual education in villages where children are often reluctant to speak the ancient tongue.
​
While efforts are made on Peru's part and Bolivia following lead as well, will Ecuador tag along?
