The Essence of the Otavalo Essay -- Essays Papers

The Essence of the Otavalo In our modern era and by our modern standards, the Otavalo people of Ecuador shine with scintillating success in the global arena. A myriad of factors have contributed to Otavalo prosperity and wealth, factors both outside and within their control, but factors nonetheless dependent upon the fluidity and ever-changing construct of indigenous identity. Tracing the saga of this indigenous people’s rise to textile, musical and cultural capital, the opportunistic attitude of the Otavalo remains the foundation for modern wealth and commerce. The true question of Otavalo success, however, rests not in economic prosperity alone, but in their inherent ability to adopt socially befitting â€Å"modern traditions† and retain the right to define the meaning of being Otavalo. As early as the 1950s, â€Å"indigenous merchants traveled to Columbia, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and Argentina† seeking markets and commerce (36). This swell of savvy Otavalos seeking new trade demonstrates the culture’s durable penchant for innovative business and financial exchange. However, it was not until 1964 that the Law of Agrarian Reform abolished wasipungu that major shifts in economic industry took hold of Otavalo. The process of redistribution levied out 180,000 acres of Otavalo land by 1979, but there was hardly enough land to support and feed single families, and so families began to focus on textiles and tourism for support. In the pinch of the 1974 OPEC oil crisis on Ecuadorian economy, the prosperity of the Otavalo persisted despite a floundering national economy because they â€Å"relied on textiles and tourism rather than agriculture† (39). With the advent of national roads facilitating tourism, the profit of the Saturday market skyrocke... ...ain focused in the spiritual valley of their home (266). Quichua shows no signs of fading out of common tongue, traditional dress morphs agreeably with elements of modern fashion, and families still desire to grow and prepare their own food on their own land. Yet the growing focus on individual profit and individual success may harm collective economic success in the future of the Otavalo, if the community loses collective identity and thus, political clout. Though no community remains static or rigid against social change, the Otavalo must have the right to exist as they believe Otavalos should exist. As they emerge as a community of people who turn the tables on capitalism and thrive in the economic structure laid upon their country and their lives, they will chose to adopt modernity as â€Å"they find useful† and blossom in the ever growing identity of the Otavalo.