Indigenous Origins
I come from the Kichwa community of Azama in Otavalo, Ecuador. My mother is from Otavalo, and my father is from Cotacachi. Both are native Kichwa speakers, and they passed the language on to me when I was a wawa (child). I have always felt deeply connected to my culture and to a collective way of life, honoring and defending our identity. My culture is represented by Inti Raymi. It is what my community lives for; it is expressed through our language, it shapes our calendars, and it gives us the strength to continue the resistance. Speaking Kichwa is a source of pride for me. I feel that my grandparents speak through me, like a genetic code preserved in our memory—the continuing echo of our ancestors.
Early Years
I grew up among the chaquiñanes, the narrow paths running through my community, surrounded by community life. From an early age, I helped my parents at home, especially with making handicrafts that we later sold at the weekend market in Otavalo. Together with my siblings, I also helped with planting and harvesting. There is something beautiful about planting seeds, watching the plants grow, and eating what Mother Earth provides. I grew up herding animals, as many wawas in my community did. In the afternoons, after returning from school, we would go to the river with other children to herd them. Sometimes the animals would get lost in the ravine, and we were afraid to go home. It is funny, looking back.
At Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun).
Communication and Community Service
I have always been a communicator, enjoying writing and participating in writing contests at school. I also loved listening to the stories my grandparents told about our past. Many of these stories are disappearing from my community, and I felt the need to safeguard them. My community is beautiful, but it also faces many challenges. I have a deep understanding of the realities my people face, and I can see how much all of Ecuador’s Indigenous Peoples have in common. It is important for us to remain united in order to improve our living conditions. At 22, I became fully involved in community service. Leading several projects, I came to understand the issues affecting us as Indigenous Peoples. Recently, the situation has become more difficult not only for my community but for all Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador. I hope to continue supporting my people through the experience I have gained.
Working at Cultural Survival
I am responsible for drafting documents, translating, scheduling appointments, following up with program partners, and publishing our audio productions. I have the opportunity to listen to productions from different territories around the world. There is much to learn from other Peoples, and the radio programs we receive have taught me a great deal. One particularly special memory is meeting my team members in person. Working with them is a blessing: they are wonderful people who have motivated me and shown me patience since I started. Cultural Survival is full of people who have supported me whenever I have needed it.
Dreams for the Future
Cultural Survival has given me the opportunity to work in communications, and I want to continue exploring and strengthening this role. I am excited to learn more about visual communication, filmmaking, and storytelling, while also improving my English. On a personal level, I will continue developing a cultural project I have been working on for years: KICHWASOUL, a space to promote my identity to the world through the arts. I would like to learn from the Indigenous Peoples of Asia and Oceania as I admire their knowledge and cultural practices. There are also Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador whom I have not yet met, especially those living in the jungle. Their communities are currently under threat, yet they possess profound knowledge and wisdom to share.
Top photo: Edison Andrango grew up making bracelets, a craft his mother taught him, as art is always present within the Kichwa people. Photo courtesy of Edison Andrango
