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Ecuadorian markets offer one of the most picturesque and colorful sights of all Latin America. They are held once or twice a week in Andean villages and towns. Hundreds of people from the countryside, “campesinos” in their shawls and ponchos inch their way through the busy streets to huddle up in the plazas (squares) keen to trade their produce and livestock. You can find almost everything in these markets: ducks, chickens, sheeps, pigs, piglets, guinea pigs, donkeys, llamas, cows as well as mountains of vegetables, grains, fishes, shawls, ponchos, kitchen utensils, woven baskets, etc. The largely world-renowned Saturday Otavalo Market is the most famous for its arts and crafts. |
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Many varieties of arts and crafts can be found in Ecuador:
- colorful woolen textiles are made from sheep wool as well as ponchos, rugs, scarfs, sweaters, vests, caps, and gloves from alpaca wool. The biggest variety is found in Otavalo.
- Panama hats: manufactured mainly in Cuenca from “toquilla” straw, originally from a palm fiber. Those are sold in big cities.
- shigras bags: sturdy and colorful from the fiber of a long leaf cactus called “cabuya” (agave family).
- leather items: produced mainly in Cotocachi village. You will find jackets, purses, suitcases, belts, pants, hats, wallets, shoes, hose-saddles, etc.
- wood carvings: the biggest variety come from San Antonio de Ibarra village: nativity sets, boxes, wall plaques, statues of the Virgin, saints and beggars as well as elaborate furniture. In the Amazon rainforest, most of the carvings are made of balsa wood. Their lightness and colors make them very attractive. Chimborazo Province also produces colorful wooden masks.
- tagua or vegetal ivory items: those are carved from the nut of a palm tree from the coast: jewelry, keyholders, animals shapes and ornamental items. The country has exported tagua since the beginning of the 20th century.
- jewelry: Ecuador is known for its precious stones as well as its gold and silver filigree jewelry, a specialty of Chordeleg, near Cuenca.
- necklaces and bracelets made of dried seeds or dried fruits from the Amazon.
- bread dough “marzipan” figures: This is the main industry in Calderon where the dough is dyed in bright colors and shaped into nativity sets, Christmas tree ornaments and other figures.
- musical instruments: panpipes of different size, ocarinas, charangos, maracas, quenas, etc.
- ceramics: reproductions of small statues from the Tolita (Machalilla) culture can be found on the coast and small erotic ceramic statues in the Amazon. There are several reknown ceramic factories with showrooms in Cuenca and Quito turning out hand-made dinner sets, tiles in Spanish style (azulejos) and vases of excellent quality.
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