ECUADOR a Blend of Ancestral Traditions and Civic Celebrations

Expedition Tours

23 October 2024

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As in many parts of the world, particularly in Latin America, the second day of November has been dedicated for centuries to commemorating the “Day of the Dead,” also known as “All Souls’ Day.” These spiritual traditions date back eons and have syncretized with Catholic rituals brought by the Spanish conquest five centuries ago.

 

 

This is one of Ecuador’s significant non-civic commemorations, making November 2 a national holiday. On this day, thousands of people visit cemeteries, especially in larger cities and towns, to spend time “visiting” their loved ones. They pray, clean, arrange, and decorate tombs with flowers and special messages, often accompanied by musical serenades in some regions of the country.

 

Special gastronomic delicacies, with ancient roots, are also part of the celebration, both in urban and rural areas. Particularly famous are the “Guaguas de Pan,” human-shaped and colorfully decorated bread figurines of various sizes and types, along with the popular “colada morada” (which translates to “purple porridge”). This thick and delicious non-alcoholic beverage is made from black maize, fruits, cinnamon, and other spices, enjoyed by families who prepare it together and widely offered in restaurants of all kinds.

 

On November 3, the country commemorates the Independence of Cuenca, Ecuador’s third-largest city and the most important settlement in the Southern Andes, which gained independence from the Spanish Crown on November 3, 1820. This national holiday is civic in nature and ties in with “All Souls’ Day.” Cuenca becomes the epicenter of civic, student, and military parades, floats, festivals, gastronomic fairs, cultural events, and beauty pageants.

 

Needless to say, all tour programs operate with total normality throughout all of Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands. Instead, with some luck and depending on their itineraries and visited locations, some travelers may have the unique opportunity to observe some of the ancestral ceremonies staged on these special occasions.

 

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