Ecuadorian Cultural Identity And Its Evolution

Ecuadorian cultural identity and its evolution

Introduction

Cultural identity will understand it through the definitions of culture and its evolution over time. It is derived from the belonging of individuals from a given culture, their participation in collective knowledge and common memory, from the continued use of the same symbolic system, signs, codes and practices that are not only composed of a language and texts, but also of rhythms, myths and traditions of habits, customs and ceremonies of monuments and images. 

According to some anthropological and sociological studies, identity arises from reaffirmation and differentiation of an individual or collective against another, it is linked to history and cultural heritage. We must mention that cultural identity, like heritage, are not static elements, but are entities that are subject to permanent changes, are conditioned by external factors and the continuous feedback between the two. Identity is also essential for the southern mentality that is believed universal and that is inconsistent in the reality of the Latin American world.

Developing

Part of the identity within a social group is given by its heritage, which is the expression of its origin, lifestyle, development, transformation and even its cadence in other words, its culture and its historical memory. We must be clear that heritage is not synonymous with monument and lifeless objects, architectural, artistic or exposed in a museum.

Heritage is the cultural identity of a community and is one of the ingredients that can generate development in a territory, allowing balance and social cohesion. 

"Identity is the old territory of heritage and it is not surprising that the objectives recognized by most of heritage actions that are carried out in these areas include the reconstruction of local identities". Based on this concept we can mention indigenism as one of the main exponents within the emancipation of native populations and cultures of Latin America. 

Cultural identity plays an important role in the development of a territory, no country is simple and not simple, in each culture we will find diversity of thoughts, beliefs, each individual represents a different manifestation within a collective. Ecuadorian national identity is the result of a long historical process. The diversity of Ecuador is an important wealth of our country, but it can also be our danger if we do not assume it from the country’s unity as the foundation and objective. 

Ecuador has been characterized by being a multiethnic and multicultural nation, with a current population of approximately 17.08 million inhabitants, of which there are fourteen nationalities and 18 ethnic groups that are distributed in the Costa, Sierra and Amazonia regions. Historically, Ecuadorian culture was developed since approximately 13,500 years, it has a complex social and political entity within many aspects and we can even find greater diversity than in developed countries.

It has been a country that has been exposed to various changes over the years, it is worth mentioning one of the most influential facts within society as it is: "Spanish conquest and colonization" where pre -Hispanic cultures areThey settled in Ecuadorian soil this contributed with new elements to the identity of the Royal Audience of Quito. On the basis of these inheritances, the aboriginal societies of the pre -Inca era and the contributions of republican life during the nineteenth and twentie.

Conclon

There is a westernized vision of identity, since the presence of the other is not accepted, it only recognizes the existence of a single identity which has generated different conflicts within society, since talking about a single identity is very limited for this reason we canMention to the following phrase "cultural identity does not exist without memory, without the ability to recognize the past, without symbolic elements or referents that are their own and help". At present, the culture and identity of each corner of Ecuador, manifests itself through its different customs and traditions, as well as its tangible heritage.

Ecuadorian society in recent years supports traditional proposals with the desire to present a type of resistance to globalization and the loss of their own identity we must take into account that people must be an influential factor so that Ecuadorian culture lasts andIt is not overshadowed by other cultures, since there has been a vision about Ecuadorian identity, which has always been minimized by comparison with foreign cultures, although they are unique.

Bibliography

• Ayala, e. (2002). The Ecuadorian Nation, Unity in Diversity. Andina Simón Bolívar University Headquarters Ecuador.
• Guamanquispe, a. (2015). “Cultural identity and its impact on the tourist development of the Pilahuín Cantón Ambato Province of Tungurahua parish.”Technical University of Ambato Faculty of Human Sciences and Education.
• Star, s. (2017). Identity in construction, forms and textures in motion. San Francisco de Quito University