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I. Ecuadorian Culture

I.1. Pre-Inca Culture

Numerous indigenous cultures lived in the region that is currently called Ecuador during thousands

of years before the Incas conquered it. Among them, the civilization which offers the oldest

records is the Valdivian culture on the Pacific coast, of which artefacts have been found that date

back to 3,500 years BC. Most of these artefacts were found in the city of Santa Elena, capital of

the province Santa Elena.

Other cultures such as the Quituscaras and the Caaris emerged in different regions of Ecuador, in

times long before those of the Valdivians. Important archaeological sites in provinces like Manab,

Esmeraldas, Tungurahua and Chimborazo have produced evidence of settlements existing at least

4,500 years before the arrival of the Incas. Some of them indicate that the region was inhabited as

early as 10,000 years BC. These cultures were usually organized in kingdoms, where the king was

known as the Cacique. Farmers worked the land in order to provide for the entire population.

They grew many different crops such as maize, chocho, quinoa and potatoes.

Large areas of Ecuador, including almost the entire Orient, remain unknown to archaeologists. In

the province of Napo, ruins of towns have recently been discovered belonging to the Quijos

culture. However, the investigation of this area is very complicated and it would take a team of

scientists years to successfully investigate even a small area.

(source: http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/es/html/ecuador-preincaico.html)

I.2. Culture during the Inca Conquest

During the period of expansion of the Inca empire, many indigenous tribes were at war with each

other. Taking advantage of this situation, the Incas came from the south to conquer these

territories. Apart from a violent conquest, the Incas used political marriages to facilitate the

process. For example, the Inca king Huayna Capak married a princess called Duchicela who

belonged to the Quituscaras tribe. At that time, the Quituscaras occupied the biggest kingdom in

the area. This strategy resulted in a genuine fusion of the Inca culture and those of the native

indigenous tribes.

One of the most important changes in the social structure was that the people started to work not

just for themselves, but much rather for the Inca king. New traditions and even slavery were

introduced. Slaves came from the tribes which strongly rebelled against the conquest. Agricultural

techniques were improved and large expanses of land were drained in order to prepare them for

farming. The Incas also imposed their own religion which venerated the sun as its principal

divinity. Interestingly, some of the customs which originated in this period continue to exist until

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this very day. One of them is the festival of Inti Raymi, which means feast of the sun, celebrated

in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia at the end of June.

I.3. Culture during the Inca Conquest

Towards the end of the year 1531, the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro departed from

Panama on an expedition that was to result in the fall of the Inca Empire and the consequent

Spanish domination of these territories, including what is now known as Ecuador. He started off

his campaign with less than 200 men, while his companion, Diego de Almagro, stayed in Panama

getting together more troops. After his arrival, Pizarro decided to stay for some time at the

present Ecuadorian and Peruvian coast in order to build a base for military operations and collect

jewellery and gold to finance reinforcements.

When Pizarro arrived in the Peruvian city of Cajamarca, the new Inca emperor of that time,

Atahualpa Capac, had just won a civil war against his brother, Huscar Capac. Therefore,

Atahualpas armies were in a weakened state leaving the region easy to conquer. He was forced to

accept the Catholic faith which he negated. As a result, Spanish soldiers and mercenaries

ambushed and killed all the Inca troops and Atahualpa was taken prisoner. He was executed a few

months later.

I.4. The Conquest of Ecuador

The conquest of Quito marked the end of the resistance in Ecuador. In the summer of 1534, the

Spaniards had already taken the city of Quito and disbanded the Inca army. The Inca Empire

rapidly collapsed, although the Amazon region and the coastal region of Esmeraldas were

conquered toward the end of the 17thcentury. The conquest of Ecuador by the Spaniards couldnt

be called anything less than brutal. Plundering, pillaging and torture made up the main strategy

adopted by the conquerors.

Even though the Incas were easily brought to their knees, it took the Spaniards nearly two decades

to establish a standard system of colonization. After having dealt with a small number of

insurgences, the differences of opinion between Almagro and Pizarro, which had been latent since

the beginning of the conquest, finally exploded. Almagro started to organize open rebellion

against Pizarro for which he was later judged and executed as a traitor. His followers later

assassinated Pizarro. And after a few more changes of power, Spain finally took control of the

remaining conquerors and Ecuador entered a period of more than two centuries and a half of

relatively peaceful colonial life.

(source: http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/es/html/las-conquistas-inca-y-espanola.html)

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I.5. The Colonial Era

Apart from the colonization of Quito and Guayaquil, many other centres of population were

established in the 16thcentury such as Portoviejo, Loja, Cuenca, Zaruma, etc. This craze of ongoing

foundation of cities continued until the beginning of the 17thcentury, notably at the Ecuadorian

coast as in the Andean region. For example, Ibarra, a city in the northern province of Imbabura,

was founded in 1606.

The first concentrations of population were called asientos, or seats, and these places evolved

until they transformed into towns and cities such as Ambato, Latacunga, Guaranda, Otavalo and

the like, which developed thanks to their agricultural resources and commercial facilities. The

Amazon region followed this trend, previously explored by Francisco de Orellana, and cities with

Spanish names like Sevilla del Oro, Logroo, Archidona, Valladolid, Baeza were founded.

Spain organized its American colonies by dividing them into administrative jurisdictions, called

Virreinatos, Capitanas and Audiencias. The Virreinato of Peru, established in 1543 and to which

Ecuador belonged, was created based on the conquered territories in the north of the continent.

Town Halls were established, presided by the Governor or his representative called Lieutenant of

the Governor. Sebastin de Benalczar was the first Governor-Lieutenant of Quito. In the latter

half of the 16thcentury, no great changes nor conflicts happened in Quito and the city went

through a period of peace as the quarrels between conquerors had come to an end. Much rather

did they dedicate themselves to developing their respective jurisdictions.

I.6. The Independence of Ecuador