Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Josefina Vasquez Pazmino[, Anthropology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
Florencio Delgado Espinoza, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
In Ecuador, many contemporary anthropological voices advocating for decolonising agendas are still entrenched in Western academic frameworks. White and Mestizo scholars often dominate national and international conferences, speaking on the significance of ancestral heritage and the protection of Indigenous or rural cultural patrimony—often without involving the communities themselves in these discussions. This raises a critical question: What kind of decolonising agenda are we truly promoting? Contrasting these top-down approaches, this session highlights a series of archaeological research projects with direct involvement of Indigenous and rural communities across Ecuador. These communities, who live in direct interaction with pre-Hispanic and historical sites, are situated in the provinces of Carchi, Manabí, Tungurahua, and the Galápagos Islands. Each case stands for a distinct, multidisciplinary research process that emphasises community-driven archaeology, marked by unique challenges and successes. In this symposium, the voices of community members actively engaged in the preservation of their heritage will take centre stage, allowing them to share their perspectives, experiences, and ongoing efforts in person.
Papers:
Community-based Archaeological Research in Coaque Valley (Manabí, Ecuador)
Florencio Delgado Espinoza, Anthropology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
The town of Coaque, located in northern Manabí province, Ecuador, holds a significant yet tumultuous place in history as the first point of contact for the Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro. This marked the beginning of widespread looting and pillaging of local resources, including emeralds, shells, and gold and silver artefacts from the region’s chiefdoms. Looting has remained a persistent issue, with archaeological artefacts often openly sold during periods of economic hardship.
About a decade ago, a transformative collaboration began when local looters sought the guidance of archaeologists to establish a community museum. This partnership initiated profound changes, including:
1. A significant decrease in looting activities among locals.
2. The emergence of former looters as advocates for research and defenders of the region’s archaeological heritage.
3. The creation of a specialised local government office dedicated to the protection of archaeological sites.
This presentation argues that collaboration, education, and a community archaeology approach are essential to safeguarding archaeological heritage. By engaging local stakeholders in the preservation process, this case study demonstrates the potential for long-term cultural and environmental benefits in historically vulnerable regions.
Textile Technology and Embroidery Inspired by the Archaeological Ancestors of the Salasaka People (Tungurahua, Ecuador)
Josefina Vásquez Pazmiño, Anthropology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
Wilma Jerez, embroiderer and weaver, Salasaka community, Ecuador
Today, the designs and technologies of the archaeological Puruwá culture (2000 BC – 1420 AD) are preserved in Salasaka textiles woven on looms and embroideries. The Salasaka of today have inherited the designs and iconography of the archaeological Puruwaes, but assimilated the linguistic and cultural influence of the Inka Empire during the invasion of their territory in the 15th century. At first glance, one can see the kingu (zigzags) that represent the mountains, roads, rivers or agricultural terraces that make up the domesticated landscape represented by the embroidery. Among the figures on the blouses and trousers worn at festivities and sacred ceremonies, the double spiral, non-local wild animals and, in particular, a mythical two-headed bird, stand out. The embroiderers depict the Salasakas interacting with the animals and plants of the environment through the embroidery and weaving of shikra (traditional purses), chumbi (waist belts) and, above all, hand embroidery on lliklla (women’s garments). It is worth mentioning that the dancer (tushuk) is the main allegory for solar festivals in the Andes. This paper compares the results of the archaeological and textile study with a mapping of the weavers and embroiderers in the community of Salasaka.
Indigenous Archaeology Detached from Materiality and Seen from the Local Reality of the Chibuleo and Salasaka Communities (Tungurahua, Ecuador)
Selena Tisalema Shaca, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Chibuleo Pueblo
Andrés Jerez-Pilco, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Salasaka Pueblo
Tungurahua is a province named after the eponymous volcano, with its name meaning “throat of fire.” This province is home to four Indigenous Peoples: Chibuleo, Kisapincha, Salasaka, and Tomabela. Centuries of devaluation of the pre-Hispanic past have resulted in a significant affective detachment from ancient spaces and objects, such as archaeological sites. In Chibuleo, however, the community acknowledges the existence of the Pillahua site, which has been looted by its inhabitants for the purpose of illegal trade beyond the community. Ceramic vessels were the primary artefacts sold to White-mestizo collectors from Ambato at minimal prices. Although there is no documentary evidence to confirm this, it is believed that some of these artefacts are now displayed in museums within the city. A similar phenomenon occurred in Salasaka. Until the late 20th century, members of the community would relinquish ancient objects to White-mestizo individuals, contributing to private collections, or they would abandon these objects in open spaces. Recently, the Indigenous Peoples of Tungurahua have revalued archaeological sites and artefacts, which have become integral to their sacred ceremonies. The purpose of this paper is to propose an Indigenous archaeology that is detached from materialism and rooted in the local reality of these communities.
Archaeology and Heritage Conservation of the 19th-Century El Progreso Plantation in the Galápagos Islands
Edy Bismark Becerra, President, Decentralised Autonomous Rural Government El Progreso, San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
Fernando Astudillo, Assoc. Prof. Anthropology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
In the early 1860s the Ecuadorian government issued permits for the exploitation of natural resources in the Galápagos Islands. An Ecuadorian family business secured the concession for San Cristóbal Island, where they established an industrial-scale plantation called El Progreso. Approximately 500 people of diverse origins lived and worked in the settlement. This town became the first successful permanent settlement in the archipelago. The company went bankrupt in the 1920s after the assassination of one of its owners. The foundations of the plantation’s main house were declared a national heritage site in the early 2000s. However, the industrial areas and the workers’ town were excluded from this heritage designation. In 2014, we initiated an archaeological research project aimed at exploring the daily lives of workers at the plantation. The results of this research inspired local authorities to reevaluate the original heritage designation and propose an act to protect all the material remains of the plantation, along with other historic sites in the archipelago. In this talk, we recount the direct collaboration between archaeologists and the local community in San Cristóbal, as well as the legal process that led to the approval of the new Heritage Protection Act for the Galápagos Islands.
Community Archaeology and Rock Art: Integrating Local Ontologies and Educational Engagements in Chilmá Bajo (Carchi, Ecuador)
Juan Camilo Argoti Gómez, alumnus, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
Aitana Sofia Piedra Sofia, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
Henry Pozo Ruano, Comunidad Chilmá Bajo, Comuna La Esperanza, Carchi, Ecuador
This research explores an educational initiative in Chilmá Bajo, an Indigenous Pasto community in Carchi, Ecuador, that aims to support children’s ontological engagements with their archaeological and non-human landscape. Based on the “educación en libertad” framework (Freile 1970) and Indigenous archaeology approaches (Atalay 2006), this project seeks to bridge local knowledge systems with archaeological interpretation. Specifically, we examine how children interact with and interpret the region’s rock art sites, embedded within a broader ecological and cultural matrix. Children’s narratives in Chilmá Bajo reveal how they interact with archaeological sites as living and relational entities, deeply intertwined with the familiar and material dimensions of their daily lives, challenging linear and anthropocentric historical views. These engagements illuminate a collective understanding of the Pasto past that transcends static heritage discourses, fostering a reciprocal connection between archaeology and living cultural practices. Ultimately, this work aims to empower the Chilmá Bajo community to incorporate their archaeological heritage into the construction of a contemporary Pasto identity. This presentation contributes to a growing body of scholarship on community-based archaeology and Indigenous epistemologies, advancing a decolonial praxis that prioritises cultural self-determination and intergenerational learning.