I was so surprised that it took my bus so long to get out of Perú and into Ecuador. Neither country is that large.
Quito was important to me because it is closer to two large black communities, and I had to make a choice. There was Esmeraldas on the west coast, 70% black, consisting mostly of descendants of escaped slaves who built fortresses for protection. I chose not to go there because I didn’t want to deal with the heat, the mosquitoes, nor the rumored crime and drugs. Instead, I chose to visit a quiet black community up in the Andes called Valle de Chota (Chota Valley) where descendants of emancipated slaves live. I was also attracted to Valle de Chota because it produced so many of Ecuador’s soccer stars who shined in the 2006 World Cup Games.
Plaza Presidential (Presidential Plaza) in Quito, Ecuador
It was in Quito where I met Gloria who was introduced through an Ecuadorian Facebook friend living in Germany. Gloria was a wonderful guide who treated me like family. She escorted me to La Mitad del Mundo (the middle of the world), right along the equator. This is the only touristy thing I did other than visit the Afro Ecuadorian Cultural Center, which was closed.
Gloria, whom I met through a Facebook friend, showed me around Quito
Although Ecuador has a much larger black population than Perú, racism is alive and well. You will not find blacks, indigenous, or Asians working in banks or major office buildings, and very few working in shops. I didn't see any black police officers, bus drivers, or cab drivers. It’s hard for a black person to catch a taxi cab during certain hours, especially on Friday nights. In fact, one Friday evening while trying to get to Gloria's house, I had to wave five-dollar bills to get a taxi to accept me. It was so interesting how pleased and relaxed the driver became when he learned that I was a harmless African-American tourist and not the feared African-Ecuadorian native.
Oh man I love your blog... I like that you have visited all the black communities where people assume there are no/ or very little black people.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much :-) I post these especially for folks like you, and I hope you come back.
ReplyDeleteI want to know more I plan on visiting Ecuador within a month
ReplyDeleteHello Pam,
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome to send me an e-mail with your questions: billsmith510@gmail.com or you can post your questions here for all others to see.
Thank you for your blog. I admire your great ability to communicate. It's a skill I have and recognize in others. :-) I have a question related to American blacks in Ecuador. I am considering retiring in Cuenca, Ecuador. I am caucasian and my best friend in the USA is black. We are missionaries and have been very united in missionary work to the poor for years. Would she be received well in Ecuador? Or would she be considered lower class? I hate to hear about the segregation there.
ReplyDeleteHi Alena,
DeleteOnce your friend is perceived as a foreigner, especially American, she will be perceived differently, the same way most Blacks from other countries are perceived differently when they come to the US. Her American spending power will give an even more powerful impression. As you have probably heard, prices are dirt cheap in Ecuador compared to American prices. I once took a couple out for a nutritious lunch, and the bill came out to $6 for the three of us.
And finally,Cuenca is a much nicer town than Quito or Guayaquil. I felt very good vibes there, and don't be surprised to run into other Americans.
My mother is black Ecuador and very proud black woman thank u for bring out people from places like Ecuador out the the world . my mother use to tell me in Ecuador we are to black and out here in the states we are not black enough . cause we speak Spanish
ReplyDeleteHola, Manny, unfortunately there are a lot of narrow minded people in the United States who think the world starts and ends here.
ReplyDeleteHola, Many, desafortunadamente hay much personas aquí en estados los quien tienen mentes angostos creyendo que el mundo es solo en eeuu.