mishqui-yacu, sweet water - IFAD

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AINCA (Asociación Indígena Cañar Ayllú) was founded in Suscal
in 1982. The need for the organization arose from the realization that
the communities of Suscal could not communicate their needs to the
authorities.
It is a generalized view that among the people in Suscal, the lower
parts are somewhat behind compared with people living in the
‘high sector’. They often call us sachos, ‘from the back of beyond’,
or mucos. 76 When we did not have our own organization, it was
not always easy to be noticed at local and national levels. We try
to attract cooperation and assistance from both government and
NGOs. We have fought for electricity and water, but new problems
occur all the time. In the past, alcoholism was a very serious problem
around here; now our children's situation worries us. The
recent migrations put a lot of stress on families, particularly
women and children. 77
AIEC (Asociación de Indígenas Evangélicos de Cañar) is the organization
of Lutheran indigenous people in the Cañar area. Norwegian
missionaries brought the Lutheran faith to Cañar in 1970. They
established a health clinic and soon attracted a following. The hardworking
Lutherans, with their strict views on the bad influence of
alcohol and the importance of high morals, impressed several
Cañaris. However, the conflicts with the Catholic Church hierarchy
and several neighbours were fierce at first.
We were often accused of being the puppets of foreign masters,
obeying them in everything, denying our roots and isolating us
from our neighbours. The indigenous movement here in Cañar
was supported by the Catholic Church and religion was often
mixed with their message. The present Catholic priest of El Tambo,
Mello Storoni, is a good person and we have no problems with
him. It is true that some of the missionaries were somewhat harsh
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Mucos are the bermuda-length trousers that form part of Andean traditional dress.
Interview with Abelina Morocho, former mayor of Suscal.
Interview with Pastor Gabriel Pichazaca of the Lutheran Church in El Tambo.
Interview with Reinaldo Tenezaca, agricultural engineer working with AIEC.