Ecuadorian Art and Entertainment

By Mara Precoma

​Whether you consider visiting Two Rivers Reserve, have a passion for anything artistic, or simply need something to do during quarantine – this article is here to help! Apart from food, art is one of the best ways to get to know a country, especially from afar. Unfortunately, many Ecuadorian works have not been translated into English, which limits their visibility and reach. On a positive note, though, they might inspire you to brush up on your rusty school Spanish!
 
Literature 
 
Los Que Se Van (1930)

• Authors: Demetrio Aguilera Malta, Joaquín Gallegos Lara & Enrique Gil Gilbert
• Genre: Short stories
• Plot: Set in the countryside of the Ecuadorian coast, the work tells the stories of several characters who live in poverty, and illustrates their relationship with family and nature. 
• Why to read: The book was published by members of the so-called Guayaquil Group, a literary collective which emerged as a response to a chaotic political and social climate during this 1930s and 1940s. It was criticized for its harsh language and crude themes upon publication, but is now considered one of the most famous pieces of Ecuadorian literature. Its implementation of literary realism marks a break with older styles of Ecuadorian writing.

 
Huasipungo (1934)

• Author: Jorge Icaza
• Genre: “Indigenist” novel, “proletarian” novel
• Plot: The novel tells the story of Indigenous Ecuadorians who work on a hacienda without adequate compensation. When their landlord makes a deal with US-American business men looking for oil, a savage massacre of those who protest ensues. 
• Why to read: Icaza is arguably the most notable Ecuadorian writer of the 20th century. A work of social protest, Huasipungo is often compared to Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. Unlike many Indianismo works, the novel does not romanticize the experiences of Native peoples.   

 
La Nariz Del Diablo (2010)

• Author: Luz Argentina Chiriboga
• Genre: Historical fiction
• Plot: The story follows the path of Jamaicans recruited to build a railway across the Andes as part of President Alfaro’s modernizing program, which brought him into conflict with the church. In order to succeed, workers had to conquer la nariz del diablo, one of the most dangerous peaks in the mountain. 
• Why to read: Chiriboga, of Afro-Ecuadorian heritage, was one of the first writers to address the duality of African and Hispanic cultures. She portrays women in ways which challenge stereotypes. 

 
Movies 
 
Ratas, Ratones, Rateros (1999)

• Genre: Action, crime, drama
• Director: Sebastián Cordero
• Plot: The movie follows the life of Salvador, a young petty thief from Quito, after he is visited by his cousin Ángel, an ex-convict in search of easy money and a hideout. Salvador gets wrapped up in Ángel’s dealings, dragging his friends and family along his criminal path.
• Why to watch: The movie shows Quito and Guayaquil as they truly are – neither “developing” country disasters, nor untouched Andean paradise. It depicts the harsh reality that is life as part of the lower economic class. 

 
Qué Tan Lejos (2006)

• Genre: Road movie, drama
• Director: Tania Hermida
• Plot: Ecuadorian literature student Tristeza and Spanish tourist Esperanza unexpectedly travel together from Quito to Cuenca when an Indigenous-led strike makes it impossible to continue to travel by bus. They are forced to improvise and make new acquaintances along the way. 
• Why to watch: The movie is an ironic reflection on identity, outlines the protagonists’ search for meaning and satirizes folkloric-like and tourist-like images of Ecuador and Latin America. It is the second most seen film in the history of Ecuador. 

 
La Muerte de Jaime Roldós (2013)

• Genre: Documentary
• Director: Lisandra Rivera & Manolo Sarmiento
• Plot: The movie examines the probable assassination of Jaime Roldós, the first democratically elected president of Ecuador, in a suspicious plane crash in 1981. It covers the significance of his death for the historical memory of Ecuador. 
• Why to watch: Combining investigative journalism with original film footage and compelling interviews, the documentary depicts an unknown chapter in Latin American history. 

 
 Music  
 
Pasillo        

• Ecuador’s popular “national music.” It dates back to the 19th century, when Ecuador was part of Gran Colombia. The songs are slows and melancholic, often covering themes of disillusionment, lost love and longing for the past. Over time, pasillo incorporated European features of classical dance such as waltz. 
• Listen to: Julio Jaramillo

 
Afro-Ecuadorian Music

• Northwest Ecuador is the heart of the country’s Afro-Ecuadorian population, and source of a distinct type of music called marimba. Typical instruments are the marimba, the cununo, the bomba and the guasá. The Afro-Ecuadorian community of the Chota Valley (located in the highlands) blends Indigenous elements such as pan flutes with African rhythms into a style called bomba.
• Listen to: Azúcar, Grupo Bambuco

 
Mestizo Music

• For a long time, the mestizaje (“mixing”) process brought up identity challenges for many Ecuadorians. Recently, people have started to embrace the artistic potential of mestizaje. At the forefront of this change are musicians who build cultural bridges by combining tunes from grandparents’ homes with those found at nightclubs. 
• Listen to: Nicola Cruz, Quixosis, Ataw Allpa, Lascivio Bohemia

 
 
Sources
“Arts & Music.” Lonely Planet, 2020, www.lonelyplanet.com/ecuador/background/other-features/2f9308fe-3076-4f61-bfad-1a18bc297ae6/a/nar/2f9308fe-3076-4f61-bfad-1a18bc297ae6/363337.
Bogaard, Cecilia. “Top 5 Ecuadorian Movies.” Terra Diversa, 1 Feb. 2016, www.terradiversa.com/top-5-ecuadorian-movies/.
Davila, Damian. “Ecuador: What Are Some Good Ecuadorian Films?” Quora, 6 Dec. 2012, www.quora.com/Ecuador-What-are-some-good-Ecuadorian-films.
“Huasipungo.” Wikipedia, 29 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huasipungo.
Leon, Carolina Loza. “How Cultural Mestizaje Has Shaped Ecuador’s Music.” Culture Trip, 12 Aug. 2017, theculturetrip.com/south-america/ecuador/articles/how-cultural-mestizaje-has-shaped-ecuadors-music/.
“Los que se van.” Wikipedia, 23 Apr. 2020, es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_que_se_van.
“Qué tan lejos.” Wikipedia, 3 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qué_tan_lejos.  
“The Devil’s Nose.” Good Reads, n.d., www.goodreads.com/book/show/25189920-the-devil-s-nose.