Nationalities and Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador participating in the Wellness Fest 2025
Waorani
The Waorani nationality of Ecuador is a symbol of resistance and ancestral wisdom in the defense of life and territory.
Residents of the deep Amazon, they have protected their forest for centuries, and in 2019, they achieved a historic legal victory by halting oil exploitation in their territory without prior consultation, setting a precedent for Indigenous peoples around the world.
Their way of life, deeply connected to the jungle, not only preserves one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, but also represents a worldview where nature and humanity coexist in balance and respect.
Shuar
The Shuar nationality, one of the most numerous in the Ecuadorian Amazon, has historically been recognized for its courage, community organization, and deep spiritual connection to the rainforest. Guardians of vast territories in the provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe, the Shuar have led emblematic struggles in defense of water, forests, and life against the threat of extractive megaprojects. Their worldview, in which every being has spirit and dignity, compels them to protect the earth as a living being. Through intercultural education, ancestral medicine, and active resistance, the Shuar people keep their culture alive and reaffirm their role as tireless defenders of the planet's green heart.
A'i Kofan
The A'i Kofán people of Ecuador, ancestral guardians of the Amazon, are recognized for their commitment to protecting the forest and all life. Their territory, located in the province of Sucumbíos, is a source of wisdom for their people. In 2018, they achieved a historic victory by halting the expansion of illegal mining in their territory thanks to their community leadership and unprecedented legal action, reaffirming their role as defenders of the rights of nature. The A'i Kofán are bearers of profound knowledge that connects humans with the living forest, reminding us that caring for the earth means caring for the future.
avocados
Wax, is located in the Loja canton, it is a rural community in the southern Sierra of Ecuador with deep indigenous roots. Currently, it has approximately 980 inhabitants dedicated mainly to agriculture, livestock, and pottery.
Cera is recognized for its ancestral pottery tradition, being a unique community in the province of Loja where clay pots are made and sold in nearby communities. .
Cera represents a living example of the cultural richness and resilience of indigenous communities in southern Ecuador.
afrocoastal
He coastal Afro-Ecuadorian people, commonly known as Afrocoastal, is a fundamental part of Ecuador's cultural and social fabric. Its roots date back to the Africans brought over during the colonial era, who managed to forge resilient communities along the coast, especially in Esmeraldas, Guayas and Manabí.
Over the centuries, the Afro-coastal people have developed a vibrant identity expressed in their music, such as the marimba, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, their dances, cuisine, and oral traditions. They have also been active defenders of mangroves, rivers and coastal territories, historically facing exclusion and discrimination with dignity and resistance.
Today, they continue to fight for full recognition of their collective rights, their ancestral territory, and their culture, which are an essential part of Ecuador's diversity and plurinational richness.
Kichwa people of Sarayaku
Guardians of the Living Forest, Defenders of the Territory and Life
Sarayaku is an Amazonian Kichwa village located in the heart of Pastaza province, Ecuador.
Known worldwide for its staunch defense of the rainforest and its way of life based on harmony with nature, Sarayaku represents the living resistance of indigenous peoples against oil extraction and other forms of territorial aggression.
His proposal of “Living Jungle” (Kawsak Sacha) is a deeply spiritual, political and ecological vision of the world, where the jungle is a living being, full of wisdom, spirits and sacred energies, and not a commodity to be exploited.
The Sarayaku people have been an emblematic example of autonomy, community organization, and international legal action, after achieving a historic ruling in their favor in 2012 from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which recognized their right to free, prior, and informed consultation.
They walk proudly with their culture, their language, their music, their ceremonies, and their commitment to future generations.
kitu kara
The Kitu Kara Indigenous People are an ancient nation that inhabits the Northern Sierra of the Ecuadorian Andes, especially in the urban, rural, and peripheral areas of the province of Pichincha, including the cantons of Quito, Mejía, and Rumiñahui.
Their ancestral settlement is located in the city of Quito, at the foot of the sacred mountain of Pichincha.
The Kitu Kara People were legally established in 2003, uniting several communes and indigenous communities in the metropolitan area of Quito. . Since then, he has worked on the revitalization and cultural and territorial affirmation in the city. .
The mother tongue of the Kitu Kara people is Kichwa, and Spanish is their second language.
TOCurrently, the Kitu Kara People are in a process of reconstruction, based on their self-recognition as a people with original ancestral roots.
Napu Runa
He Napu Runa PeopleThe Kichwa people, settled primarily in the Napo province, are part of the Kichwa nation of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Their life revolves around the river, the jungle, and the chagra (a traditional form of farming that reflects their harmonious relationship with nature). Their language, Amazonian Kichwa, is a vehicle for ancestral wisdom passed down orally from generation to generation.
The spirituality of the Napu Runa is manifested in rituals and medicinal knowledge, where the use of ayahuasca (yagé) It plays a central role in healing processes and spiritual connection. The yachaks and mamakuna, community guides, preserve and transmit this knowledge, strengthening collective identity and balance.
Committed to the defense of their territory and life, the Napu Runa people actively participate in organizational processes for autonomy, intercultural education, and sovereignty over their resources. They are guardians of the Amazon and bearers of a worldview deeply connected to Buen Vivir (Good Living).
