Indian Communities

The Cultures of the Coast

The oldest know cultures of America lived on the ecuadorians coast (3,500 – 500 B.C.) Just 3 cultures subsist until this days: the Awá, The Chachis or Cayapas and the Tsachilas or Colorados.
The live in the tropical rainforest on the west Andes and possibly settled there escaping from the Incas invasion from Peru (XV century) or from Spanish (XVI century).
These are the most important Indian communities in the Coastal region:

Chachis Cayapas Tsachilas or Colorados Awa Epera Siona Huancavilcas Negro – afroecuadorians

The Amazonian Cultures

Many archeologists sustain that some of the oldest cultures that survived (over 10,000 years) are actually from this tropical humid rainforest, impossible to reach for many centuries. In the “Cosmos vision” of these indigenous groups, the human being is a part of the “Amazanga” (raiforest) and the human spirit wanders in this forest every dawn.
The Amazon region is home of these communities:

Cofan Amazon Quichuas Shuar Zaparo Achuar Huaorani Siona Secoyas Shiwiar

The Highlands Cultures

The culture of the highlands are by no means the oldest but the most visited and known, probably because of their geographical location on the Andean highlands. Many of these communities share their lives with other Ecuadorian cultures and it is fantastic how they still maintain their cultural manifestations through dress, language (Quichua), handicrafts and festivities.
These are the most important Indian communities in the Highland region:

Highlands Quichuas Awa Tsachilas or Colorados Nego – afroecuadorians