Ecuador Culture Facts: Here's All About Ecuadorian Culture And History

Ecuador is a major South American country with unique customs and culture.

Ecuador is highly famous for its rich culture and traditions. People are interested in learning about Ecuador because of its geographical features and unique culture.

The country was a part of Gran Colombia. The gathering was dissolved in 1831 due to the political differences between supporters of federalism and centralism, leading to a successor region. This region became Ecuador. Ecuador is a famous country known for having a two-day president. Rosalia Arteaga was the first female president who was just president for two days. Ecuador's major cities include Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenco, and Santo Domingo.

This country is the closest country to space. The very first UNESCO Heritage Site which was recognized was in Ecuador. The first one was the Galapagos Islands and the second recognized World Heritage Site was Quito, the city of Ecuador. The Galapagos Islands are always included on people's travel bucket lists.

Ecuadorian Panama hats are famous all around the world. The country was also a part of Gran Columbia in 1822. Ecuadorian culture does not only include traditions, but also the geography and natural resources found in this country too that have inspired Ecuadorian culture. The country Ecuador has some great and famous national parks such as Yasuni National Park and Sangay National Park.

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Ecuador Culture History

The history of Ecuador goes back to the invasion by the Incan invaders in the 15th century. Ecuadorian culture has been shaped by the geography of the country.

• Ecuador has four regions which are the western coastal lowlands, the eastern jungles of the Amazon basin, the central Andean Highlands, and the famous Charles Darwin Galapagos Islands.
• Ecuadorian culture is colorful, vibrant, lively, and beautiful. Ecuador has a long history of culture.
• Quito is the capital city. Ecuador has some of the greatest UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world.
• Ecuador is most famous for its beautiful beaches and port cities. Travelers visiting Ecuador can go to the La Costa, which is the Ecuadorian coast bordered by the Pacific Ocean.
• Popular Ecuadorian dishes are Cuy, Ceviche, Seco De Chivo, and Empanadas.
• Blooming orchid flowers can be found in Ecuador. Orchids are one of the specialties of this country.
• Ecuador is a vast multi-ethnic country with indigenous people living in the country, along with people of African and European descent.
• The majority of the Ecuadorian population has African ancestors. Ecuadorian people are mostly known as Mestizos.
• The population of Ecuador is called Mestizo, which is considered to be a mixed culture of the indigenous people of Ecuador and their Spanish ancestors.
• Only around 20-25% of the population of Ecuador is considered to be indigenous community.
• Ecuadorian music is shaped by African rhythms. The music and dance of Ecuador are performed through amazing traditional chanting and famous marimba music.
• The primary religion of this country is Roman Catholic. However, the natives or the old Ecuadorian people are known to follow a blended religion of Catholicism and Ecuadorian traditional beliefs. Ecuador has freedom of religion.
• The Andes is the origin of Ecuadorian culture.
• Quechua and Shuar are the main indigenous languages while Spanish enjoys the status of the official language in Ecuador. However, the people in the region speak English too.
• Ecuadorian people wear traditional clothes including the famous Panama brimmed hats, blue skirt ponchos, and woollen skirts.
• The region is also known for marimba, a percussion instrument.
• Ecuadorian women can be found wearing beautiful clothes which are woven and local jewelry. They also wear leather clothes.

Famous Cultural Tradition Of Ecuador

When we hear the term Ecuador, everything bright and merry comes to mind. Suddenly, everyone is interested in learning more about the rich culture and the unique traditions of the country. Well, we have some facts to learn here.

• The famous traditions of this coastal region will surely make you fall in love with the country.
• The customs and traditions of Ecuador are highly festive and musical celebrations play a major role.
• Ecuadorian festive celebrations are known to include procession ceremonies and large crowds walking through the streets.
• A common tradition in Ecuador is Novenas who are famous in the Latin Catholic Church.
• The Day of the Dead is a famous tradition that is followed in Ecuador. This is known as Dia De Muertos in the local language of Ecuador. This celebration takes place in the month of November.
• Ecuador is a culture-rich country and Ecuador has as many as 14 indigenous communities. The Ecuadorian population is a mixture of Spanish, African, and native Ecuadorians. Ecuador is a diversified rich cultural country.
• Ecuador celebrates Christmas as one of its main traditional festivals.
• Christmas is famous for gifts, merry and of course, our old man - the Santa Claus and it is the same, worldwide. However, some countries do have specific names for Santa Claus.
• Ecuador is one of these countries that has a specific name for Santa Claus. Santa Claus is called Papa Noel in Ecuador.
• Papa Noel means Father Christmas. Apart from Ecuador, Papa Noel is used in Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
• The countries in Latin America pronounce Santa Claus differently.
• Merry Christmas in Ecuador is said in Spanish as Spanish is the major language in Ecuador. In Spanish or in the Ecuadorian language, Merry Christmas is 'Feliz Navidad'.

Details On The Most Famous Tradition In Ecuador

Details on the most famous traditions are fascinating to know. Here are some famous traditions to do with this culturally rich country.

• Afro-Ecuadorians who are present in Ecuador today are famous for marimba music as well as many other kinds of music and dance festivals. Here are some more things about the most famous traditions in Ecuador.
• Inti Raymi is a Chichewa word that translates into 'Sun festival' in Spanish. This festival is celebrated in the Andes, honoring the Incan sun god, Itni. It occurs every year on June 21 and this day is also considered the annual solstice.
• Inti Raymi is a festival that is directly related to the end of the harvest season. This is why this festival is popular and known around the world.
• Corpus Christi is a tradition that takes place in the Andes. During this famous festival, you can try many different types of sweets and pastries. You can also see folkloric dancing, music, and fireworks.
• Carnival is a completely non-religious event that is celebrated across all of Latin America and people also have the excuse for partying before Holy week.
• The most special cultural tradition of Ecuador is called Dia De Muertos, which in English is known as the 'Day of the Dead'. This day is related to Mexican skulls and Ecuador has a national holiday to celebrate this day.
• The other famous traditions in Ecuador are Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Semana Santa (Holy week) and La Diablada de Píllaro. All these are famous festivals in Ecuador.
• All these festivals are some of the rich cultural traditions in Ecuador that you can experience while visiting the country.
• The nation celebrates Ecuadorian Independence Day as an indication of its independence from Spain's rule on August 10 every year.

The Most Important Holiday In Ecuador

Ecuador has some very popular holidays that are celebrated around the country. These holidays include New Year which is celebrated all over the world.

• Carnival in March or February, Semana Santa in April, Dia De Trabajo in May, San Pedro and San Pablo, and Dia de Muertos are some of the most famous holidays in Ecuador.
• Ecuadorians also celebrate the Ecuadorian military and independence holidays.
• However, Christmas remains the most popular holiday in Ecuador. Ecuadorian families tend to enjoy popular traditional Ecuadorian food known as 'Cena de Nochebuena' on the eve of Christmas.
• When we speak of major holidays, we cannot ignore Easter week in this country. While Easter is predominantly celebrated in the majority of Catholic countries, it is one of the public holidays here.
• Fanesca, is the Exclusive soup dish you can expect on Easter week. Along with major traditional ingredients, the stew is prepared with salt cod as its primary ingredient.
• Ecuadorians celebrate the birthday of Venezuelan Simón Bolívar to commemorate his role in liberating South America from Spanish dominance. This is an exclusive public holiday celebrated on July 24.
• Latacunga is one of the local festivals that focuses on the Statue of Mama Negra. She AC African-American depiction of the virgin Mary. Locals follow up parade down the street with loud and perfumes music.
• You can experience Guayaquil, the founding day of the city by a Spanish explorer in 1537.

Did You Know...

Ecuador is a highly diversified and culturally rich country in South America. Ecuadorian culture is something that is worth taking a look at.

• The most popular Ecuadorian tradition in the country is called, Inti Raymi.
• As Ecuador is a highly rich cultural and beautiful country, there are many great festivals that are celebrated throughout the year.
• Inti Raymi is the most important celebration for indigenous Ecuadorian people.
• Ecuadorian culture is a lot more than just one culture. There have been a total of 15 indigenous communities of people residing in Ecuador.
• The official language of Ecuador is Spanish.
• Ecuadorian culture follows the spiritual guidance for medical treatment with a mix of medicinal knowledge along with witchcraft.
• The country Ecuador is famous for its amazing weaving styles which are known all around the world.
• Ecuadorian culture is highly inspired by geographical factors too. Ecuador is the only country in the world that is named after the geographical coordinates of Earth, the Equatorial Line.
• Ecuador's culture is unique with its amazing lively and vibrant festivals which are breathtaking to witness.
• If you plan to visit the region, you may want to visit Mount Chimborazo, the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, and the Andean Highlands.
• Make sure to try the exotic fruits found in this country. Do not miss out on the Amazon rainforest in its pristine state with rich biodiversity.
• Likewise, Mount Chimborazo peak is the furthest point on Earth from the Earth's center.
• With all this beauty, it is safe to say that it is not just a region but a whole new world named Ecuador. The cultural heritage and its own unique culture of festivals are just as beautiful as the geographical feature of this location. Spanish is widely spoken here and it is one of the popular South American Countries with a large population speaking Spanish.

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