Afro-Ecuadorians

Afro-Ecuadorians (), also known as Black Ecuadorians (), are Ecuadorians of predominantly Sub-Saharan African descent.

History and background

Most Afro-Ecuadorians are the descendants of enslaved Africans who were transported by predominantly British slavers to Ecuador from the early 16th century. In 1553, the first enslaved Africans reached Ecuador in Quito when a slave ship heading to Peru was stranded off the Ecuadorian coast. The enslaved Africans escaped and established maroon settlements in Esmeraldas, which became a safe haven as many Africans fleeing slave conditions either escaped to there or were forced to live there. Eventually, they started moving from their traditional homeland and were settling everywhere in Ecuador.

Racism is an issue on an individual basis and societally. Afro-Ecuadorians are strongly discriminated against by the mestizo and criollo populations. As a result of this racism, along with lack of government funding and low social mobility, poverty affects their community more so than the white and mestizo population of Ecuador. After slavery was abolished in 1851, Africans became marginalized in Ecuador, dominated by the plantation owners.

Afro-Ecuadorian people and culture are found primarily in the country's northwest coastal region. The majority of the Afro-Ecuadorian population (70%) are found in the province of Esmeraldas and the Valle del Chota in the Imbabura Province, where they are the majority. They can be also found in significant numbers in Guayaquil, and in Ibarra, where in some neighborhoods, they make up a majority. Many Afro-Ecuadorians have participated in sports, for instance playing with the Ecuador national football team, many of whom hail from Valle del Chota.

Culture

Afro-Ecuadorian culture may be analysed by considering the two main epicenters of historical presence: the province of Esmeraldas, and the Chota Valley. In Ecuador it is often said that Afro Ecuadorians live predominantly in warm places like Esmeraldas. Afro-Ecuadorian culture is a result of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Their culture and its impact on Ecuador has led to many aspects from West and Central Africa cultures being preserved via ordinary acts of resistance and commerce. Examples of these include the use of polyrhythmic techniques, traditional instruments and dances; along with food ways such as the use of crops brought from Africa, like the Plantain and Pigeon pea, and oral traditions and mythology like La Tunda. When women wear their hair as it grows naturally, it is often associated with poverty, which is why successful or upwardly mobile women tended to straighten their hair.

Music

Marimba music is popular from Esmeraldas to the Pacific Region of Colombia. It was considered an Intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2010. It gets its name from the prominent use of marimbas, but is accompanied along with dances, chants, drums and other instruments specific to this region such as the bombo, the cununo and the guasá.

Sometimes this music is played in religious ceremonies, as well as in celebrations and parties. It features call-and-response chanting along with the music. Some of the rhythms associated with it are currulao, bambuco and andarele.

On the other hand, in the Chota Valley there is bomba music. It can vary from mid-tempo to a very fast rhythm. It is usually played with guitars, as well as the main local instrument called bomba, which is a drum, along with a guiro, and sometimes bombos and bongos. A variation of it played by la banda mocha, groups who play bomba with a bombo, guiro and plant leaves to give melody.

Religion The religious practice among Afro-Ecuadorians is usually Catholic. Catholic worship is distinctive in Esmeraldas, and sometimes is done with marimba.

Political framework

Numerous organizations have been established in Ecuador to for Afro-Ecuadorian issues. The Afro-Ecuadorian Development Council (CONDAE). Afro-Ecuadorian Development Corporation (Corporación de Desarrollo Afroecuatoriano, CODAE), institutionalized in 2002, Asociación de Negros Ecuatorianos (ASONE), founded in 1988, Afro-Ecuadorian Institute, founded in 1989, the Agustín Delgado Foundation, the Black Community Movement (El Proceso de Comunidades Negras) and the National Confederation of Afro-Ecuadorians (Confederación Nacional Afroecuatoriana, CNA) are some of the institutional frameworks in place in Ecuador. The World Bank has given loans for Afro-Ecuadorian development proposals in Ecuador since 1998, loaning $34 million for related projects between 2003 and 2007, and USAID also monitored the 2006 elections in Ecuador to ensure that Afro-Ecuadorians were not being unfairly underrepresented.

Notable Afro-Ecuadorians Historical Francisco de Arobe (1543 – after 1606), leader of Afro-Indigenous maroon communities Martina Carrillo (1750–1778), Ecuadorian activist, born enslaved, who fought for the rights of Afro-Ecuadorians Alonso de Illescas (1528–1600s), African Maroon leader in Esmeraldas in colonial Ecuador María del Tránsito Sorroza, midwife and formerly enslaved woman

Politics Government Paola Cabezas, first Afro-Ecuadorian presenter of Ecuador TV and politician Diana Salazar Méndez, attorney general of Ecuador Lucía Sosa, mayor of Esmeraldas 2005–2013 and 2014–2018

Activism Jaime Hurtado, from Guayaquil; known for fighting for the rights of the working people of Ecuador; founder and leader of the Democratic People's Movement (MPD); assassinated in 1999

Music Guillermo Ayoví Erazo, Ecuadorian marimba player and singer

Literature Nelson Estupiñán Bass (1912–2012), poet and author Adalberto Ortiz (1914–2003), poet, diplomat and author

Sports Boxing Carlos Andrés Mina, Ecuadorian Light heavyweight boxer Érika Pachito, Ecuadorian women's Olympic middleweight boxer María José Palacios, Ecuadorian women's Olympic lightweight boxer

Judo Carmen Chalá, Ecuadorian Olympic judoka Diana Chalá, Ecuadorian Olympic judoka Vanessa Chalá, Ecuadorian Olympic judoka

Mixed martial arts Michael Morales

Discus Juan José Caicedo, Ecuadorian discus thrower that competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics

Weightlifting Neisi Dájomes, gold medalist for women's weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Alexandra Escobar, Ecuadorian Olympic weightlifter Dixon Arroyo, weightlifter and bronze medalist at the 2023 Pan American Games Oliba Nieve, gold medalist for women's weightlifting at the 2007 Pan American Games Angie Palacios, Ecuadorian Olympic weightlifter and sister of Neisi Dájomes Tamara Salazar, silver medalist for women's weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Sprinting Yuliana Angulo, Ecuadorian Olympic sprinter Álex Quiñónez, Ecuadorian Olympic sprinter; finalist in 200-meter dash at the 2012 Summer Olympics Ángela Tenorio, Ecuador Olympic sprinter

Football Gabriel Achilier, player Darío Aimar, player Franklin Anangonó, player and manager Brayan Angulo, player Nilson Angulo, player Tamara Angulo, player Rorys Aragón, player Robert Arboleda, player Dixon Arroyo, player Michael Arroyo, player Jaime Ayoví, player Walter Ayoví, player Óscar Bagüí, player Maximo Banguera, player Christian Benítez, player Álex Bolaños, player Alexander Bolaños, player Miller Bolaños, player Nayely Bolaños, player Adrián Bone, player Carina Caicedo, player Felipe Caicedo, player Fricio Caicedo, player Jessy Caicedo, player Moisés Caicedo, player Omar Carabalí, player Wilson Carabalí, player and manager Byron Castillo, player Denil Castillo, player Segundo Castillo, player and manager Juan Cazares, player Walter Chalá, player Nicole Charcopa, player José Cifuentes, player Janner Corozo, player Ulises de la Cruz, player Agustin Delgado, player hailing from Juncal village; signed a $3.5 million deal with the team from Southampton, England in 2001 Alexander Domínguez, player Frickson Erazo, player Giovanny Espinoza, player Pervis Estupiñán, player Christian García, player Carlos Gruezo, player Jorge Guagua, player Joffre Guerrón, player Ivan Hurtado, player Renato Ibarra, player Romario Ibarra, player Anderson Julio, player Jhojan Julio, player Jefferson Lara, player Juan Carlos León, player and manager Fidel Martínez, player Édison Méndez, player and manager Sebas Méndez, player for the Orlando City SC Arturo Mina, player Allen Obando, player Katherine Ortiz, player Willian Pacho, player Jairo Padilla, player Diego Palacios, player Juan Carlos Paredes, player Gonzalo Plata, player Joao Plata, player Ángelo Preciado, player Ayrton Preciado, player Hólger Quiñónez, player and manager Mónica Quinteros, player Moisés Ramírez, player Kerlly Real, player Djorkaeff Reasco, player Néicer Reasco, player Jhafets Reyes, player Kevin Rodríguez, player Alberto Spencer (1937–2006), player and all-time top scorer of the Copa Libertadores Antonio Valencia, player for Manchester United and Ecuador national team Enner Valencia, player for Internacional and Ecuador national team José Valencia, player Gustavo Vallecilla, player Erika Vásquez, player Pedro Velasco, player Wendy Villón, player and manager John Yeboah, player

Gallery

Afro-Ecuadorians

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