OYACACHI
ECUADOR
2023
Contact
Oyacachi means “face” or “cheek of salt,” a name derived from the weathered and sun-kissed faces of its inhabitants. It is located in the El Chaco canton, Napo province, on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountain range, within the Cayambe Coca National Park. Oyacachi represents an intermediary zone between the Andes and the Amazon. The majority of the community’s residents belong to the Kichwa Kayambi nationality and have been settled in this area for over 500 years. They preserve a rich natural and cultural heritage, which is expressed through ancestral knowledge and the worldview of the Oyacachi community members. This heritage is a valuable asset for the economic, social, and environmental development of the area.
Currently, Oyacachi is known as the “land of water” due to the quality and variety of its rivers, streams, waterfalls, lagoons, and hot springs. Infrastructure and services have been implemented around this natural resource, including transportation, accommodation, food and beverages, recreational activities, rainbow trout sport fishing (Oncorhynchus mykiss), thermal pools, hiking trails, the restoration of historical sites, and other tourist facilities. All of these contribute to a satisfying visitor experience and directly impact the economic dynamism of the community. Some of the income generated from the sale of activities and services in the thermal complex is used for environmental awareness programs.
In 2011, UNESCO recognized the quality of Oyacachi’s craftsmanship, particularly its carvings, pyrography, and paintings featuring biodiversity motifs. Much of this craftsmanship is created using alder wood (Alnus Acuminata), which has a conservation and management plan in place.
HIGHLIGHTS
-
Smart reinvestment of resources
The Community Government receives payment for environmental services related to water for human consumption, irrigation, and forest conservation. These resources are reinvested through the participatory investment plan. They also provide incentives for individual and community micro-enterprises, offering services such as lodging, food, craft production, pisciculture, and road maintenance to facilitate the trade of products and tourism.
-
Blending with Nature
Haka Wasi Ecolodge is a house built into a solid rock wall at about 80 meters in height, from where you can observe the Oyacachi Valley. It features vernacular architecture that uses materials like alderwood logs, straw, stone, metals, with the majority of them being recyclable materials. The purpose is to raise awareness about nature conservation and the use of outdoor spaces which can be utilised for the purposes of extreme sports as part of adventure tourism.
-
Preserving the Kichwa identity
The preservation of the Kichwa language is enforced by communal regulations. Trainings and workshops are organized to maintain the daily practice of Kichwa and the use of authentic Andean attire.
The Artisan Association is playing a major role in safeguarding and promoting ancestral techniques of alderwood carving and pyrography through courses and workshops.
The population of Oyacachi maintains a sense of belonging to their territory and culture and prefers to adhere to the norms and rules of coexistence that have been developed over time and generations. The Communal Government regulates the purchase and sale of land parcels, restricting this practice from individuals outside the community.
