DOLORES CACUANGO QUILO: BIOGRAPHY - HISTORY - 2025

María Dolores Cacuango Quilo (October 26, 1881 - April 23, 1971), was an activist and indigenous leader who promoted the struggle for the rights of Quechua and peasants in Ecuador. It is also considered an important figure in feminism of the s. XX.

Cacuango concentrated his activism in favor of the defense of the lands, the abolition of slavery and the Quechua language. Thanks to this, he managed to found the Ecuadorian Federation of Indians (FEI), which became an important party in alliance with the Communist Party of Ecuador.

Despite not having received formal education, Cacuango promoted the founding of the first bilingual school (Quechua-Spanish), to bring knowledge to the children of indigenous people and peasants.

Biography

Early years

María Dolores Cacuango Quilo (also known as Mamá Doloreyuk) was born in the San Pablo Urcu latifundio in Cayambé, Pichincha Province, Ecuador; October 26, 1881.

His parents were Andrea Quilo and Juan Cacuango, peons or Gañanes Indians, who were workers who had no salary. Due to the poor and humble environment in which she grew up, Dolores was unable to attend school, so she learned to read and write as an adult.

At the age of 15, she began to work as a domestic employee on the farm where her parents worked, in order to pay off the debts they acquired. It would be there where she would see the disparities between the life of the landowners and that of the indigenous.

At the same time he learned Spanish, a language that he would also use to spread his ideas years later during his life as an activist.

Marriage

She married Luis Catucuamba in 1905 with whom she had nine children, of which eight died due to poor and unhealthy conditions in the home where they were in Cayambe.

His eldest son, Luis Catucuamba, who later became an educator for indigenous communities, survived.

Political life

At the beginning of the s. In the 20th century, a series of emancipations and pro-indigenous movements began to take place with the intention of making their rights known on the haciendas and on the lands where they worked.

In fact, it is estimated that Cacuango's first contact with politics was when he heard the exclamations of the Indian Juan Albamocho at organized rallies in Cayambe. Albamocho used to disguise himself as a beggar to attend the conversations that took place in the law offices.

Dolores was also influenced by accounts of the uprising in Zuleta in 1891 and the uprising of the indigenous people of Píllaro in 1898.

He even witnessed the alfarista revolution, which nationalized ecclesiastical property. Although it was thought that these lands would be returned to the indigenous people, they were actually administered by the Board of Public Assistance.

Leader

In 1926 he managed to achieve political prominence by becoming a leader during the popular rebellion of Cayambe, led by the Indian Jesús Gualavisí. At first, the promoter of the protest was the Sindicato de Trabajadores Campesinos, a union that was also part of other demonstrations and strikes in the area.

At first, Caguango stood out for having an energetic speech in Quechua and Spanish, as well as for his capacity as a leader.

Participation in surveys

Dolores was part of the indigenous uprisings in the haciendas of Pesillo and Moyurco, in her hometown.

These sought an end to mistreatment and abuse of indigenous people, the elimination of compulsory work for women and an increase in pay for hours worked. Despite the repression against the demonstration, the objectives set were achieved.

Espionage

Cacuango and other groups of women, carried out recruitment, espionage and defense tasks in different events.

Participation in the I Congress of Indigenous Communities

In 1931 he participated in the First Congress of Indigenous Communities, promoted by Jesús Gualavisí, which served for the organization of the left in the country.

However, the main leaders - among whom was Dolores - suffered reprisals from the president of the time, Isidro Ayora.

Before the congress was concentrated, the army closed the roads and later jailed several leaders. They also set fire to the homes of the settlers; several people, including Cacuango, lost their possessions.

Communist party and presidential campaign

As a result of these events, Dolores joined the Communist Party as a representation of the indigenous communities.

By 1934 he collaborated in the presidential campaign of candidate Ricardo Paredes, by carrying out initiatives focused on peasants and indigenous people.

Invitation to international congresses

She was invited by the Confederation of Latin American Workers (CTAL), a congress that was held in Cali, Colombia. There she expressed the abuses in which the farm workers were exposed by the government of the day.

Political activity in 1944

1944 was probably the most active year for Cacuango: he was part of the revolutionary days and on May 28 of that same year, he led the assault on the carabineros barracks in Cayambe.

He also joined forces with another indigenous leader, Tránsito Amaguaña, to form the Ecuadorian Federation of Indians (FEI), an organization in favor of human rights, especially for the defense of the rights of the less favored classes.

Cacuango was aware that illiteracy and ignorance of Spanish represented serious problems in the indigenous community. For this reason, he founded the first bilingual school (Quechua-Spanish) in 1946. This was the first of a system of educational centers that were located in various towns in Cayambe.

It should be noted that these schools were also raided by the army and received very little support from public assistance. The same residents found it necessary to make contributions to keep them active, although 18 years later they were permanently closed.

Last years

During the 1950s and 1960s, Cacuango began to have a less active life in politics. He remained in the Communist Party but without being part of the FEI.

On the other hand, during the dictatorship of General Ramón Castro Jijón in 1963, she was persecuted and even classified as La Loca Cacuango.

A year later, thanks to conflicts and social pressure, the agrarian reform is approved. As it did not meet the needs of peasants and indigenous people, Cacuango led a mobilization with more than 10,000 indigenous people from Cayambe to the capital.

Dolores Cacuango died in 1971 after spending several years in solitude and under threat from the government. However, her history and legacy were recognized over time, until she was considered one of the most important figures in Ecuador and Latin America.

References

1. Brief history of Dolores Cacuango. (2009). In Women who make history - brief biographies. Retrieved: March 02, 2018. In Women who make history- biographies of women who make history.blogspot.pe.
2. Dolores Cacuango. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: March 02, 2018. In Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org.
3. Dolores Cacuango. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: March 02, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
4. Dolores Cacuango (1881-1971). Mama Dolores. (sf). In Blog: artists or warriors. Retrieved: March 2, 2018. In Blog: Artistas o guerreras de Artistassoguerreras.blogspot.pe.
5. Kersffeld, Daniel. (2014). Dolores Cacuango, unrepeatable leader. In The Telegraph. Retrieved: March 2, 2018. In El Telégrafo de eltelegrafo.comm.ec.
6. Amaguaña Transit. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: March 02, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.