Protestors in a main square in Quito, Ecuador

Mural on a building above Ottavalo, Ecuador

Mural on the street of Baños, Ecuador

 

The first picture in this blog was taken in Quito, Ecuador. I was fortunate to be on a guided tour of the historic center of the city when our group stumbled upon this demonstration. My teacher told me it was transit workers protesting for a better salary in front of the President’s house. The second picture was taken in Ottavalo, a city known for its native population and market. The mural is a bit old (2012), but representative of the rich history and culture of the native population through their art, farming, and the nature in that area. Tied into this, the last picture is probably the coolest mural I’ve found so far. It was painted this year, so I assume it was painted in the context  of the native population protests this summer as they rallied for structural inclusion into the community. The painting is of an indigenous person surrounded by some of the most prominent nature of the paramo ecosystem; the Andes, hummingbirds, condors, and frailejones. It implies that the native population is the heart of the magic of this ecosystem.