Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History
O
tavalo and its surrounding communities are a high-
light for anyone traveling through the province of
Imbabura. For thousands of years the indigenous
Otavaleños, using an ancient tool known as the back-strap
loom, were expert
weavers
. In the mid-1500s Spanish colonists ar-
rived to discover many communities trading products from the high-
lands with rainforest peoples of the Oriente. Realizing the amazing
productivity of these Quichua people, the Spanish relentlessly ex-
ploited the Amerindians and forced the Otavaleños to weave while
trying to survive in a feudal system of agriculture. Later, independ-
ence for Ecuador did little to change the Otavaleños' lives, as the new
hacienda landowners continued the same system of slavery and
forced them to work in sweatshops called
obrajes
.
In the early 1900s, the textile industry expanded rapidly, particu-
larly weaving, with patterns that were introduced from Scotland. By
the time the indigenous people gained freedom and land rights in
1964, the Otavaleños were expert weavers in an emerging worldmar-
ket. Since then, they have diversified their products for the tourism
industry, and their goods can now be found all over Latin America, in
the United States and Europe. They have become one of the most af-
fluent indigenous groups in all of Latin America.
Native Apparel
During the period of forced labor and sweatshops, landlords
required slight variations in clothing between the people of
neighboring villages in order to distinguish their laborers.
This tradition persists today, and the locals can easily rec-
ognize where people come from by observing their attire.
Distinct patterns, different-colored shawls, a hat in a par-
ticular shape, even a hairstyle is all that is needed to distin-
guish a neighbor from an outsider. This customized attire
has become a source of pride and cultural definition for
Otavaleños and other native groups. Beautiful, long,
braided hair on men is common, and clothing may include
ponchos, felt hats, white pants, and rope sandals. On the
women, you will see headdresses, embroidered blouses and
shawls, and extravagant gold-colored bead necklaces.
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