Imbabura Province - Ecuador

The Province of Imbabura is one of the 24 provinces that make up the Republic of Ecuador, located in the north of the country, in the geographical area known as the interandean region or sierra, mainly on the Chota basin in the east and on the external flanks of the western mountain range in the west. Its administrative capital is the city of Ibarra, which is also its largest and most populated city. It occupies a territory of about 4,599 km², being the eighth province of the country by extension. It borders on the north with Carchi, on the south with Pichincha, on the west with Esmeraldas and on the east with Sucumbíos.

In the imbabureño territory they inhabit 398.244 people, according to the last national census (2010), being the thirteenth most populous province of the country. The Province of Imbabura is constituted by 6 cantons, with their respective urban and rural parishes. According to the last territorial order, the province of Imbabura will belong to a region also included by the provinces of Carchi, Esmeraldas and Sucumbíos, although it is not officially formed, called North.

It is one of the most important administrative, economic, financial and commercial centers of the north of Ecuador. The development of the industry in the province, in general, was based on the manual skills of its inhabitants. It has a very unique importance for the history of the north of Ecuador, because it is a midpoint between the coast and the Amazon, since ancestral time it was constituted as a meeting zone between cultures, merchants and events of religious connotation.

He had different migratory periods from the mountains such as the caranquis, otavalos and natabuelas. Later on it was conquered by the Incas under the command of Huayna Cápac. The Spanish colonization occurred in December 1534 with the founding of the city of Otavalo, during that period the maximum entities and precursors of the province would be the Corregimientos de Otavalo and San Antonio de Ibarra. After the independence war and the annexation of Ecuador to the Gran Colombia, the Province of Imbabura was created on June 25, 1824, which makes it one of the 7 first provinces of Ecuador.

Typical Gastronomy Imbabura Province

The red meats of Cotacachi
Ibarra morocho empanadas
Roasted corncobs with Ibarra cheese
The guinea pigs of Chaltura and Natabuela
Ibarra ice cream
La chicha de jora in Cotacachi
The chicha del Yamor in Otavalo
The fry of Atuntaqui
The wheat flour chicha and the corn tortillas of Atuntaqui
The nickname with pork rinds
Ibarra chicharrón choclos
The clothing of Mora and Uvilla, in Ibarra
Las nogadas and cassava rolls, in Ibarra
Caranqui milk bread
Fish in Yahuarcocha
Locro and blood broth of Ibarra
The stilt and llapingachos of Ibarra

Customs Imbabura Province

Fiesta de San Luís, in Otavalo: This is celebrated with Mass, troupes and Popular Dances. The towns and villages of Ecuador are identified by entertaining their traditional festivities with great care.

Theodorist Festivities, in Ibarra: intervention in the artistic-cultural-pedagogical festival, where the spectators are pointed out, the developments obtained in the cultural, through music.

Feast of the Patron Archangel San Miguel, in Ibarra: Every year, at the time of September, a ceremony is held in honor of Patron Archangel San Miguel, to pay tribute to protect these lands. On this holiday you can enjoy bullfights, motorcycle and car races, fireworks, musical bands, typical dances, good food, among other things.

Fiesta del Yamor, in Otavalo: This celebration was originated before the Inca conquest, united with the religious beliefs of the population. It is a party that brings the people together and reminds them that despite their differences, they are strengthened like corn kernels on the cob.

Fiesta de La Candelaria, in Ibarra: It is a popular celebration celebrated by Christians, in homage to the Virgin of the Candelaria.

The Hunt of the Fox (Fiesta Brava), in Ibarra: The Hunt of the Fox is considered a traditional activity that is celebrated in great part of the territory of Ibarra. This holiday takes place in the most important places of the territory. This event consists of a horse race that begins in the area of ​​the Return, passing through different places, such as the José Domingo Albuja Stadium, Loma de Guayabillas, until reaching the goal that remains in the territory of the José Tobar Tobar Autodrome.

Inti Raymi, in Otavalo and Cotachachi: The Inti Raymi, festival of the Sun, is made in honor and gratitude to Mother Earth for the fruits collected, for the summer solstice. Of all the Kichwas celebrations, the Inti raymi composes one of the current cultural monuments that has managed to modernize methods such as irruption.

April Fool's Day and the Holy Kings, in Ibarra: The traditional Feast of the Holy Innocents in Cuenca, symbolizes a custom in which many people participate, on January 6 goes out to the streets with all kinds of costumes and perform parades in a parade in which the most important national and international events and actors of the previous year are usually having fun.

Carnival and Fashion Fair, in Atuntaqui and Ibarra: It is an event that takes place every year where these locations bring the best costumes at a very attractive price for tourists and people in the area who are attracted by the merchandise that is found for sale.

Tourist Attractions Imbabura Province

The province of Imbabura has a large number of tourist attractions of which the following places can be highlighted:

Imbabura Province Craft Fair

In the province of Imbabura it is the headquarters of the Otavalo Handicrafts Fair, which is considered one of the most visited and famous in the entire Ecuadorian territory. In this fair you can get from the ponchos used by the ancient population to hats made of toquilla straw. This place offers handicrafts from all Ecuadorian areas, such as the territories of Montecristi, Jipijapa and Cuenca.

It also exposes the ancient clothes of the nearby towns such as Otavalo, San Pablo, Esperanza and Cotacachi. You can also see the crafts made by the people of Salasaca, such as their kitchen materials and shoes.

The Peguche Waterfall Imbabura Province

The Peguche Waterfall is another tourist site, considered within the most beautiful places in the province of Imbabura. This waterfall was a spiritual place for Aboriginal people. Being a place where you can enjoy a beautiful waterfall that is the central point of this entire territory. It is also a tourist center with respect to its handicrafts and handmade products.

Lake San Pablo Imbabura Province

Lake San Pablo is the largest lake in the province of Imbabura. In this lake the natives usually fish early in the day, sailing on their canoes made of straw, they also use the lake to shower and wash their clothes. The lake is in the center of many hostels, farms and restaurants, being a center of entertainment and fun for tourists. They also have canoe services that offer tours of the spacious lake.

Imbabura Province Water Park

In the territory of Araque one of the most spectacular works of Ecuador is located. The water park is the favorite place of many residents, comprising more than 100 visitors every weekend, making this number much higher during the holiday season when tourists arrive. This attraction seeks to increase tourism in this area, for higher incomes, so there are already people who sell weekends, food inside the water park, mainly tilapia.

Condor Park Imbabura Province

The Condor Park is located on the summit of Curiloma, considered a magical place for the beauty of its landscapes. It is one of the most important places in the Andes area that belongs to Ecuador, being home to many species both animal and vegetable, becoming a large educational park. It is also the natural habitat of the famous condor of Los Andes and other species of vultures.

The park contains 30 acres and is run by a foundation that is responsible for protecting the safety and survival of large birds such as hawks, eagles, vultures and owls. This park is distinguished from the rest for many reasons, such as because it is located on top of a hill, which bears the name of "Pukara Alto", being an important place until before the arrival of the Spaniards, where one of the temples was previously religious prior to the Incas.

Chota Province of Imbabura

Chota is a city in the province, which is located in a valley with warm temperatures and a desert environment, which differs from the rest of the province of Imbabura. It is located in the northern part of the territory of Imbabura, limiting to the south of the province of Carchi. The population of this city is generally dark skinned, descendants of Africans, for this reason many of the customs remind of the African culture in Ecuador.

Source:
https://www.ecured.cu/Provincia_de_Imbabura_(Ecuador)
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provincia_de_Imbabura
https://hablemosdeculturas.com/provincia-de-imbabura/

Images:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Imbabura_(Ecuador)#/media/File:Laguna_cuicocha.JPG