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“It’s a fine sermon about fasting when the preacher just had lunch.”
-Ecuadorian proverb-
There are few Filipinos in Ecuador. Ecuador and the Philippines share similar histories. Before Spanish colonialists seized the place the country’s previous rulers the Inca and his troublesome brother were embroiled in a bloody no-holds-barred winner-take-all civil war. The blood feud between rival rulers rendered the country ripe for conquest. As with North America the Amerindians of the southern continent had no immunity to stave off the white man’s diseases. Once exposed to small pox, the measles, and other death dealing diseases the Incas died like roaches in a Raid factory. Rival rulers Ninan Cuchi and Emperor Huayna Capac died from the ‘European sickness’ thus creating a power vacuum between the rival factions. The northern part of the empire was headed by the emperor who left verbal instructions how the Inca Empire was to be divided upon his death. Emperor Huayna gave what later became Ecuador to his son Atahualpa who governed from Quito the current capitol. Atahualpa’s brother refused to recognize his sibling’s sovereignty; war ensued. The conflict ended when Atahualpa marched his army south, slugged it out, slaughtered his brother, his extended family and reunited the Empire.
The civil war took a heavy toll and bled both sides dry. At the same time a small band of Spain’s best headed by Francisco Pizarro landed in the city of Tumbez then marched over the Andes Mountains to Cajamarca to parley with the Incas. Pizarro’s priest-staff member Fr. Valverde tried to hard sell the locals to sign up to Catholic-Christianity with Spain the shot caller. The Emperor’s delegate declined both offers. He signed his own death warrant when he slammed a Bible in the dirt. The Spaniards didn’t take too kindly to the ruler’s representative’s act of defiance. Valverde immediately ordered his troop escort to off the defiant ones on the spot. Shortly thereafter Atahualpa was captured and choked to death after he made good his offer of ‘donating’ the colonialists enough gold to fill a large room in hopes of being released. After that the rest you can read about.
Ecuador is a Christian country, Roman Catholicism being the dominant denomination. Christian and indigenous beliefs have merged. Ecuadorians of all denominations put much faith in local healers or shamans. Ancient remedies are passed down through families generationally. Ecuadorian religion has a strong hold on the people. They’re Bible Christians; people can be seen discussing their beliefs in public, Bibles in hand. Many Africans arrived in Ecuador as slaves in the 17th century. They brought with them a variety of folk religions. Remnants of these religions can be seen on the Ecuadorian coast where ancestor worship and voodoo is de rigueur. Fiestas with a mix of Christian and indigenous beliefs can be seen in the many festivals celebrated throughout the year. The Day of the Dead or Día de Difuntos is celebrated on November 2nd. Long before the Spanish conquest the people would leave food and drink at gravesites for dead relatives. This custom continues on All Saints and All Souls Days; go to www.life-in-equator.com.
When in Ecuador keep a copy of your identification with proof of citizenship with you at all times. Lock up your passport and valuables in the hotel safe. Do not wear expensive jewelry, clothing or dangle cameras around your neck like a stereotypical tourist; dress down! Watch where you walk and guard your stuff! Use ATMs only inside protected locations. Political demonstrations are frequent in Ecuador. Stay alert in large crowds, and avoid demonstrations in progress as well as suspicious looking packages. Do not attempt to pass a blockade set up by protesters unless you want a trip to the hospital or the morgue. Consult your doctor before traveling to Quito regarding possible altitude sickness. U.S. Embassy employees have a nighttime curfew for the Mariscal Sucre District because of the high crime rate; imitate them. Do not accept gifts or packages from strangers or leave your bags unsecured. Drug traffickers target unsuspecting tourists. Taxi robberies are common in Guayaquil and Manta. Use only radio-dispatched taxis instead of hailing them on the street. A safe cab list is available on the U.S. Consulate General’s website. Avoid public buses. I found out the hard way in Rome.
If you’re the scientific type and plan to explore the Galapagos Islands register your trip with the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil and leave an emergency contact with your hotel just in case. Buy travelers insurance. Medical facilities are limited. Air medical evacuations from the islands are expensive and time consuming. Roads in Ecuador are often unmarked, lacking in safety barriers, guardrails, and are used for both vehicles and animals. The U.S. Embassy advises driving only on well traveled highways. Avoid hiking trails and deserted beaches unless you want to get robbed, raped, beaten or murdered. Reader, remember you’re not ‘diddly-bopping back on the block.’ Tourists groups have been held up and assaulted at gunpoint. Poverty is high in Ecuador; desperate people do desperate things.
Ecuador has 19 active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. In the case of eruption check local news or the Ecuadorian Geophysical Institute online for more information. Yellow Fever occurs in the Amazon Basin. Certification of Yellow Fever vaccination is required to enter or leave the Amazon basin. Watch out for malaria, dengue fever, leishmaniasis an ugly leprosy like skin lesions that kill and other nasty diseases. Taking an anti-malarial drug and protecting yourself from mosquitoes can help lower your risk of contracting these diseases.
According a U.S. State Department Advisory, violent crime in Ecuador is commonplace and getting worse. The national press is proscribed. People engaging in public protests against controversial issues are jailed for ‘terrorism and sabotage’ which nets an 8 year jail sentence. Reader if you’ve seen the Ecuadorian episode on the hit TV hit show ‘Jailed Abroad’ you know what to expect if ever incarcerated in this country. In 2009 an American citizen was kidnapped and held for ransom. Eleven other tourists were snatched during the previous 10 years. Aforementioned tourists are frequently targeted for an array of crimes including rape, robbery, kidnapping and assault. Taking precautions when planning a trip to Ecuador is highly recommended and can help make your trip a safer more enjoyable one. If you become a crime victim in Ecuador, contact the local police as well as the U.S. Embassy in Quito, or the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil. ‘911’ works the same way in Ecuador as it does in the U.S., but operators only speak Spanish. U.S. Embassy Ave. Avigiras E12-170 y Ave. Eloy Alfaro Quito, Ecuador 594-2-398-5000 ecuador.usembassy.gov U.S. Consulate General 9 de Octubre y Garcia Moreno Guayaquil, Ecuador 593-4-232-3570 guayaquil.usconsulate.gov. For flights to Ecuador I recommend www.cheapOair.com/flights, www.LAN.com.flights, www.cheaptickets.com, www.flights.expedia.com for reasons of affordability. Hotel packages are listed on these sites.
There are more Filipinos out West than in Illinois. ‘San Francisco-the city I left behind’ I will delve in to the vibrant Fil-Am culture in the Bay Area where your beloved writer was born. Till next edition go with God, enjoy summer, and be careful.
Editor’s Note: Ecuador Part 1 appeared in FilAm MegaScene issue 445 but was mistakenly labeled Part 1. Our apologies.