Working among the Quichua: The Quichua people in Ecuador are remnant descendants of the Inca. In other parts of South America, they're called Quechua. But not in Ecuador. They speak...

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

The Quichua people in Ecuador are remnant descendants of the Inca. In other parts of South America, they're called Quechua. But not in Ecuador. They speak their own language and have their own traditions. Occasionally we are treated to work among them on medical missions. I am constantly amazed by their resilience and their ability to keep traditions alive.

In the upper regions of the Andes mountains, it is very cold. The typical dress is of thick wool.

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It takes lots of layers of wool to stay comfortable at 13,000 feet!

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Each village has a particular style of hat that the women wear. It was a practice instigated by the Spanish conquerors to identify where people were from. The tradition remains today.

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In the village of San Francisco, animals have the right-of-way.

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rockdog Loc: Berkeley, Ca.

AzPicLady wrote:

The Quichua people in Ecuador are remnant descendants of the Inca. In other parts of South America, they're called Quechua. But not in Ecuador. They speak their own language and have their own traditions. Occasionally we are treated to work among them on medical missions. I am constantly amazed by their resilience and their ability to keep traditions alive.

Wonderful post Kathy, thank you!
Phil

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Strong sense of place series, fascinating photos and information. Enjoyed a lot, Kathy, particularly the perspective of the hat image!

OK, why does the cow and some of the sheep have a knitted mask??

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Back in the day I was on a geography/anthropology field school that did work among the Tarasca(n)/Purépecha people in the mountains SW of Mexico city. They had been rivals and bitter enemies of the Aztec. They too have preserved a lot of their culture, art etc. But their method was to go along with the Spanish so they got to run things locally themselves and have developed a blend of the old traditional and the modern world that is all their own style. They trend heavily towards wood working and make furniture, musical instruments etc. And even cooperate with the universities and museums to build exhibits about their culture. That way the houses etc in the museum collections are the real thing.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Linda From Maine wrote:

Strong sense of place series, fascinating photos and information. Enjoyed a lot, Kathy, particularly the perspective of the hat image!

OK, why does the cow and some of the sheep have a knitted mask??

Based on field work etc in geography and anthropology I will speculate it is like a muzzle to keep them from eating the flowers and veggies in the gardens, yards and window boxes while they pass through to the pasture on the other side of town.

Now, I wonder if I am close to right?

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

rockdog wrote:

Wonderful post Kathy, thank you!
Phil

Thank you, Rockdog. I appreciate the look and comment.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Linda From Maine wrote:

Strong sense of place series, fascinating photos and information. Enjoyed a lot, Kathy, particularly the perspective of the hat image!

OK, why does the cow and some of the sheep have a knitted mask??

Thanks, Linda. I've seen your comments on "sense of place" so much that I actually thought about it as I shot! I did wonder if I was succeeding. The hats are so cool.

They put muzzles on the animals as they go to keep them from eating someone else's grass. They stake them out along the roads to graze during the day. The animals know exactly where to go.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

robertjerl wrote:

img src="https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/images/s... (show quote)

I learned a little about them when I studied in Mexico. Thanks for the info. The Inca, however, did not take that tack.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

robertjerl wrote:

Based on field work etc in geography and anthropology I will speculate it is like a muzzle to keep them from eating the flowers and veggies in the gardens, yards and window boxes while they pass through to the pasture on the other side of town.

Now, I wonder if I am close to right?

Close. No window boxes here. And all the crops are out in the fields. Including what we would call gardens.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

AzPicLady wrote:

Thanks, Linda. I've seen your comments on "sense of place" so much that I actually thought about it as I shot! I did wonder if I was succeeding...

LOL, I hope I'm not contributing to the demise of the phrase into cliche

Sort of like negative space and a few other terms, it seems like we know it when we see it. And with your photos, it is all about getting a sense of the people and their everyday lives - as captured by your expert eye!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Linda From Maine wrote:

LOL, I hope I'm not contributing to the demise of the phrase into cliche

Sort of like negative space and a few other terms, it seems like we know it when we see it. And with your photos, it is all about getting a sense of the people and their everyday lives - as captured by your expert eye!

angela k Loc: Long Island

Wonderful and interesting 'street' photography of a far away land!!
Thanks for sharing your travels with us, Kathy... nicely done!!

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

I enjoyed seeing these. I love the hat composition.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

AzPicLady wrote:

The Quichua people in Ecuador are remnant descendants of the Inca. In other parts of South America, they're called Quechua. But not in Ecuador. They speak their own language and have their own traditions. Occasionally we are treated to work among them on medical missions. I am constantly amazed by their resilience and their ability to keep traditions alive.

Great set of images!!!!
Really like the "Hat" shot.

Reenie

Wow! Really beautiful - love they way you captured them. The hat one is my favorite.