"There Punlla!" (Good Morning).

LEARN OF CULTURE Salasaca

Share the agricultural, craft and even living tasks is the new attraction that promotes a group of inhabitants of the Huasalata community, the parish Salasaca in Tungurahua.

Since last month, 12 families were organized to launch this community tourism project. Visitors can also learn the techniques of agro-ecological planting, trekking, feed livestock, meet their ancestral festivals such as Inti Raymi and Pawkar Raymi, traditional medicine, known sacred sites and architecture, while living with the natives in their old houses built with chahuarquero, sigse, reeds, mud and wood capulí. All these skills were shared by this community, located 20 minutes east of Ambato. "Cono¬cer language, life, tissues and traditional medicine is fantastic," says Olessya Shakurova, a Russian tourist interested in promoting this type of cultural events in their country.

Last Sunday he traveled with 10 other people, this region cabuyos and surrounded by fields of corn, potatoes, beans ... Jorge Caizabanda, one of the four leaders of the community, explaining to Shakurova the cultural richness of this ancient people. She was fascinated to hear speak indigenous Kichwa. "I want to learn," he said as he repeated some words like: "There Punlla!" (Good Morning). During the walk, Caizabanda that agro-ecological tourism is to teach visitors how to live in the countryside and share daily tasks, ie, light the stove with firewood, harvesting potatoes and the daily tasks of the members of a family as guinea pigs feed and cut grass. The Huasalata route, Salasaca, is a new proposal for tourists. "It is important to promote these experiences to foreign and domestic visitors option. Seek alternative products selling the essence of indigenous communities to promote their culture, customs and traditions, "says Willian Pico, the tour operator Geodestinos Ecuador. Another is Johanna Miranda tourists. She learned what the Salasaka architecture. Then he went to Punta Rumi, where Rubelio Jimenez, connoisseur of traditional medicine, performed a ritual with herbs and a guinea pig. A bottle of brandy and crystal ¬bebió sprinkled on the body to the four members of the folk group Huasalata. They will travel in the coming weeks to Europe. "To this place come those who want to learn music. The sacred stone gives wisdom, skill and dexterity, "says Jimenez. You have to walk 20 minutes to this site, where stands a giant skull like a stone.

Juan Jerez, director of the group, is quiet after the ceremony. He explains that the idea is that people in other countries know their culture and local music community, leading as repertoire. "Punta Rumi gives us strength and wisdom." In return, a must stop is the hostelry Inka Huasi. In this construction, which represents the old architecture of the area, you can enjoy a break in one of its 10 rooms. There typical food is offered: beans with corn, whole potatoes with cuy, locro sambo and Jucho, the latter is a drink made with capulies, cornstarch and chopped fruits like apple and peach.