ECUADORIAN MONTUBIOS: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS AND CUSTOMS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Ecuadorian Montubios are a mestizo people of peasant origin that live in the rural areas of the country's coastal provinces. They are scattered throughout the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, El Oro and Manabí, and in other areas to a lesser extent. The montubios represent the second population group in Ecuador.

They are a hardworking, deeply regionalist and country-loving people who have their own customs and cultural characteristics. Among its most outstanding socio-economic cultural characteristics are its vocation for agricultural activities, its combative and warrior spirit, and its proven ability to tame horses.

Ecuadorian Montubian horsemen at a rodeo

Its origin is located in the Colony after the Spanish Conquest of Ecuador by the crossing of indigenous, white and black African slaves. The Montubio people have been a protagonist in the history of Ecuador from the War of Independence to the present.

The contribution of the Montubio people to the economic and social development of the country and the cultural enrichment of Ecuador has been significant, to the point that since 2008 the Montubios were recognized in the Constitution of the Republic as an ethnic group or culture of the Ecuadorian State.

Origin and history

The term montubio or montuvio, with which this town of Ecuador is identified, alludes to the mountain as a place of birth (montu), to the rivers (fluvius) and to man or life (bio). That is to say, the man of the mountain or the field.

The writer José de la Cuadra in his book Los Sangurimas for the first time used this word with the "v" (montuvio) to refer to this town on the Ecuadorian coast. With this he wanted to break the stereotype of simple peasants and give it a more important connotation.

The origin of the Montubio people is located during the colonial period with the ethnic crossing between Ecuadorian natives, Spanish whites and African blacks. However, in the subsequent mestizaje process, immigrants of other nationalities such as Italians, English, French, Czechs, Yugoslavs, Lebanese and Palestinians joined.

Their growth and development as a town occurred between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when they acquired their peculiar physiognomy and identity. They were distributed along the entire Ecuadorian coast in different areas, but they also inhabit the coasts of Peru and Colombia.

The first to describe the Montubio people was the English traveler William Bennet Stevenson in his book Historical and descriptive narration of twenty years of residence in South America.

A warrior people

Throughout the 19th century the Montubios were protagonists of Ecuadorian history. From the War of Independence, fighting alongside royalists and patriots, to the montoneras and militias of later wars.

Because of their bravery and determination, Montubios were recruited by conservatives and liberals alike to fight for their ideals and for power.

During the War of Independence (1809-1822) the Montubians fought alongside the royalist Spaniards and the patriots. In the libertarian ranks they were grouped in the battalions of Daule and Yaguachi, next to Marshal Antonio José de Sucre and Liberator Simón Bolívar.

Later they participated in the Chilintomos montoneras between 1825 and 1827 and in the Chihuahuas Revolution, led by Vicente Rocafuerte and Pedro Mena. Then they enlisted in the montoneras led by regional caudillos to fight in the Revolution of the Chihuahuas (1833-1834) and in other movements.

These warriors participated in all subsequent revolutions that occurred throughout the 19th century. The participation of the Montubio people was always recognized and decisive. His uprisings in fields and cities caused much concern among white Creoles and city mestizos themselves.

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, during the Liberal Revolution, the Montubios were part of the army of General Eloy Alfaro Delgado.

characteristics

- It is a simple, hard-working peasant town, lover of the countryside and agricultural activities, with a high regionalist sense and its own cultural identity. He is proud of his ethnic origin.

- His main work instrument is the machete, which he always keeps on his belt and uses in daily agricultural work. He uses it to cut, break through the path or to defend himself.

- Montubios have a reputation for being excellent horsemen, so much so that the rodeo is their main entertainment and festivity. The horse and the truck are his main instruments of work and transport.

- They are characterized by their strong roots in the countryside. The mountain always keeps a special place for the montubio, regardless of their profession or place of residence. Life in the countryside, surrounded by animals and crops, is one of his main aspirations.

- The Montubio is affable, hospitable, cheerful and helpful, but at the same time of strong character, with a great sense of order and qualities for leadership.

- 7.4% of the population of Ecuador defines itself as Montubia, according to the last population census of 2010. The Montubios are currently the second largest population group in the country, behind the mestizos.

Custom

Artists performing Montubias music and dances

Typical costume

- Generally, the Montubio man wears toquilla straw hats and wears white shirts and shorts, as well as a machete around his belt for work in rice fields and banana plantations. Women generally also wear more comfortable and cooler white clothes, to avoid heat and not attract mosquitoes.

- During popular and religious festivals, men complete their typical attire by wearing a colored scarf. For their part, the women wear wide, very colorful skirts that give them more showiness when dancing.

Homes and crafts

- They build their traditional houses out of guadua cane to line the walls and use palm leaves to fill the roof. To avoid the presence of rodents, snakes and floods, they usually build their homes on wooden stilts that separate them from the ground.

- They are expert craftsmen especially in basketry, pottery and saddlery. They make their crafts - such as baskets and other objects - with toquilla straw and palm leaves. Saddles and other parts to assemble, as well as shoes, straps, etc., are also highly appreciated.

Feeding

The Montubios base their diet on the consumption of rice, beef, fruits, cassava and bananas, which they grow and produce in their fields. Through hunting and fishing - of which they are also fans - they obtain the complement of their diet.

Other customs

- They are fond of rodeo and cockfighting. Their skill as horse trainers is recognized throughout Ecuador.

- The songs called amorfinos, some verses originating from the province of Manabí, are traditional among their culture and customs. With these short songs, love and daily work are sung in the fields.

Distribution

The Montubia population is distributed mainly along the Ecuadorian coast, but also in some other areas. The distribution by province, according to the last population census carried out in 2010 by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), is as follows:

- 42.7% in Las Guayas.

- 23.9% in Manabí.

- 23.7% in Los Ríos.

- 3.4% in El Oro.

- 1.7% in other non-delimited areas.

- 1.5% in Esmeraldas.

- 1% in Santa Elena.

- 0.1% in the Amazon.

References

1. Montubios, traditions and customs. Retrieved May 30, 2018 from eltiempo.com.ec
2. Historical and descriptive narration of twenty years of residence in South America. Recovered from books.google.com
3. The mantubios. Consulted of usfq.edu.ec
4. The montubio and its traditions, current in the culture of the Ecuadorian coast. Consulted of andes.info.ec
5. The Ecuadorian montubios. eltelegrafo.com.ec
6. The Montubios, forgotten actors in Ecuadorian history. Consulted of eltelegrafo.com.ec
7. Montubia historicity and culture. Consulted of revistaelagro.com