Preserving Indigenous Cultures

Trundling along bumpy dirt roads, for three jarring hours, in a milk-truck, I was awestruck when I finally arrived in the beautiful village of Guargualla. This gorgeous, indigenous community is nestled high, 3400 meters above sea level, in the Andes mountains of Ecuador. In this remote town I observed the Kechwa native standard of living; subsistence agriculture, a constant battle for survival against the elements, and their struggle to maintain their Kechwa roots while adapting to Spanish and Western influence.
Spending a month there, with the help of a volunteer agency, my boyfriend and I taught English and Environmental Conservation (in Spanish!) to thirty-five children ages 5 to13. There was no school there ten years ago so this whole education thing is still quite fresh. The kids were so fascinated and curious about us, it was a real pleasure to be surrounded by so much enthusiasm. When we weren’t teaching we joined members of the community with their daily tasks; 4 o’clock am farming, potato harvesting, wool fabrication, and mud-hut construction. Group gatherings are often organized at one house to help with hefty tasks, without payment, except for camaraderie and lunch. At one such gathering we helped fix a farm that had been devastated by a landslide. These people, who work so hard to live, have no problem helping others on their day off, all for the betterment of the community. What a humbling, eye-opening experience!
Their constant energy and fortitude never ceased to amaze me. Imagine slinging a hoe, walking up extremely steep cliffs or chasing around runaway cows all the while having your child attached to your back! Babies stay tied to their mothers, in shawl-like fabrics, for the first two years of their lives. There is a close bond created and reportedly these indigenous groups have much lower rates of anxiety, depression and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (S.I.D.S).
I felt very privileged to be a part of this supportive, peaceful community. Only a handful of foreigners have been fortunate enough to visit Guargualla. Three years ago it was illegal for indigenous persons of Ecuador to be involved in the tourism industry! Thankfully that has changed, but like aboriginal politics around the world Ecuador needs to focus on preserving and appreciating the unique nature of Kechwa culture.
At night, snug in my mud-hut, beneath millions of brilliant, twinkling stars, I contemplated if the next generation will embrace or ignore this native group. Spanish and English culture has infiltrated this mountain village. Food products, clothing, television and other modern day practices have been embraced in places like Guargualla, yet has anyone been encouraged to include native traditions, like Kechwa practices, into contemporary life?
The people of Guargualla are extremely intelligent and innovative. It will truly be heartbreaking if indigenous groups like the Kechwa disappear. Will technological advances and the expansion of education help or hinder their society? If they can receive quality education and economical help they will have a better standard of living and a chance for cultural survival.
Indigenous peoples share universal issues in dealing with the established, or invading, society. There are over 5000 indigenous worldwide, most threatened by cultural transformation: permanent loss of language, lands, encroachment on traditional territories, and disruption in traditional lifestyles due to contamination of water and land.
On home soil, in Canada and around Sault Ste Marie, we can help defend our native culture. I believe it is important for the human species as a whole to preserve a wide range of cultural diversity and the protection of indigenous cultures is vital to this endeavor.