Revitalization of Kichwa in the Yumbada of Tumbaco (Tola Chica Tres)
Master’s degree holder Christian Valencia obtained competitive funding from the National Institute of Cultural Heritage, which was used to restore the ritual of the Rogativa (supplication) to the sacred Huila tree on Mount Ilaló in 2025. This ritual “was the most important for the Yumbos of Tola Chica in Tumbaco and had not been practiced for more than twenty years. It took place in August and consisted of climbing to the sacred Huila tree at the summit of Ilaló, spending the night there singing and dancing, with the aim of calling for rain to end the dry season”; and to strengthen the Kichwa chants associated with it.
One of the outcomes was the production of a short documentary about this ritual. You can watch it, here!
Life Plan of the Awá Nationality
Dr. Laura González C. carried out the systematization of the Life Plan of the Awá Nationality. This instrument constitutes a strategic planning document for the Federation of Awá Centers of Ecuador.
This work was carried out under the sponsorship of CARE in 2016
Organization of the First, Second, and Third “Gathering of Yumbos, Ancestral Dancers of Millenary Quito.”
After extensive research work, cultural manager and Master’s degree holder Christian Valencia identified the “cabecillas” (leaders) of different Yumbadas (groups of dancers whose ritual practices are of pre-Hispanic and pre-Inca origin), and organized these gatherings with the participation of their Yumbos dancers. The objective was to make visible the existence of this ancestral Yumbada in Quito, as well as to strengthen unity within this community. As a result of this work, the Yumbos have gained notable visibility, with an increase in academic studies, journalistic articles, and reports on the subject. Most importantly, younger generations have begun to feel increasingly proud of this tradition, which had been close to disappearing due to the weight of colonial influence.
This work was carried out under the sponsorship of the Provincial Council of Pichincha in the years 2014, 2015, and 2016.
Organization of the “1st Festival of Indigenous Games as a Strategy for Organizational Strengthening and the Promotion of Physical Culture in the Northern Border, Lago Agrio, 2013 (Sponsored by Plan Ecuador and the Ministry of Sport)”
Master’s degree holder Christian Valencia organized this gathering with the participation of representatives from all indigenous peoples and nationalities residing in the provinces of the Colombia–Ecuador border.
Research on the Situation of Indigenous Peoples Following the Implementation of Plan Colombia in the Colombia–Ecuador Border Region
This initiative was carried out within a border program of the Regional Foundation for Human Rights Advisory (INREDH). Dr. Laura González C. conducted extensive fieldwork across the three border provinces to verify the reality of this population. One of the main findings was the systematic identification of Ecuadorian population living in the border area; an initial estimate yielded a figure of 3,000 people. As a result of this work, this population was made visible, revealing a dynamic of “internal displacement.” This initiative resulted in two books, as well as the involvement of various state and international agencies that addressed the issue. The program last two years, 2008-2009.