Plurinationality: a Revolutionary Myth for Ecuador's Indigenous Movement
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NOTE TO USERS This reproduction is the best copy available. @ UMI Carleton University Plurinationality: A Revolutionary Myth for Ecuador's Indigenous Movement A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts Institute of Political Economy by Matthew Hawkins, B.A. (Hons.) Ottawa, Ontario September 2010 ©2010, Matthew Augustine Hawkins Library and Archives Bibliotheque et 1*1 Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-71712-7 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-71712-7 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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I+I Canada Abstract This thesis argues that the indigenous movement's demand that Ecuador be recognized as a plurinational state represents a revolutionary myth. Ecuador's indigenous movement emerged during the June 1990 Levantamiento del Inti Raymi (Uprising of the Sun Festival) to become one of the region's strongest social movements. Plurinationality, a central demand of the indigenous movement, means the recognition through the state of the cultural, social, political, and economic diversity of the nationalities within Ecuador. Early 20th century Peruvian marxist Jose Carlos Mariategui borrowed the idea of the myth from French social critic Georges Sorel and proposed the myth of a socialist revolution. Using the concept of the revolutionary myth this thesis argues that plurinationality requires the politicization of the constructed identity of indigenous nationalities, influences the structure of the indigenous organization CONAIE, and informs the political-economic transformation of Ecuador initiated by the indigenous movement. li Acknowledgments This thesis requires the acknowledgement of several important persons who have helped me along the way. First and foremost, I am deeply thankful to my supervisors, Laura Macdonald and Cristina Rojas, who have provided me with guidance, thoughtful and critical advice, support, and patience while completing this project. Their significant role in creating a flourishing space for Latin Americanists at Carleton University has been instrumental in my ability to learn from the dynamic people of this region. I would like to thank all of those who shared their insights on the Ecuadorian reality during my field research. In particular, to Elba Maldonado for being my host and guide to Quito, to Atik Kurikamak Yulianki for lending his time and thoughts to me, to Cristina Cucuri for her honest discussion into the difficulties of understanding the contemporary indigenous movement, and to my friends from Otavalo and the Shuar territory for sharing with me experiences into their lives. The Institute of Political Economy is a special place to critically explore a diversity of knowledges. I would like to thank Rianne Mahon, Michael Dolan, and Janet Siltanen for their work and classes within the Institute. To my colleagues at the Institute, thank you for our debates, insightful discussions, trivial pursuits, and soft-ball distractions. Donna Coghill deserves special mention. She is the tireless heart of the Institute and provided the kick-in-the-pants when needed to complete this project. Donna is an invaluable guide to the academic world and a good friend. Finally, I thank my parents for taking me to see the world and my brothers for accompanying me on many of these journeys. I have learnt through my family how to love learning and for this I am forever grateful. Table of Contents Acknowledgments Abstract Acronyms i Political Map of Ecuador Map of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador a Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: Revolutionary Myth 2 Revolutionizing Myth 2 Counter-Hegemony 2 Organization and Myth 3 Action and Violence within the Revolutionary Myth 4 Myth and Decolonizing Rationality 4 Conclusion 5 Chapter Three: Historical Dimensions of Ecuador's Indigenous Movement 5 Historical Dimensions in the Ecuadorian Andes 6 Colonization to Republic (1533-1820) 6 Early Republic (1820-1857) 6 Liberalizing the Republic (1857-1925) 6 Ending the Hacienda (1925 -1973) 7 Towards an Indigenous Movement (1973-1980s) 8 Historical Dimensions in the Ecuadorian Amazon 9 Early Colonization 1533-1950 9 Late Colonization 1960-1990 9 Conclusion 10 Chapter Four: Plurinationality as a Revolutionary Myth 10 Nationality and hegemony of the "nation" 10 Indigenous Nationality as a Political Identity 11 CONAIE: Organizational Representation of Plurinationality 11 Levantamiento as Action and the Myth of Plurinationality 12 Conclusion 14 Chapter Five: Conclusion 14 Bibliography 15 IV Acronyms CONAIE Conferederacion de Nationalidades Indigenas del Ecuador (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador) CONAICE - Confederation de Nationalidades Indigenas de la Costa del Ecuador (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Coast of Ecuador) CONFENLAE - Confederation de Nationalidades Indigenas de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana (Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon) ECUARUNARI Ecuador Runacunapac Richarimui FENOCI- Federation Ecuatoriana National de Campesinos y Indigenas (National Ecuadorian Federation of Peasants and Indigenous) FENOCIN - Federation Ecuatoriana National de Campesinos, Indigenas, y Negros FEI Federation Ecuatoriana de Indios (National Ecuadorian Federation of Peasants, Indigenous and Blacks) FEINE - Federation Ecuatoriana de Indigenas Evangelicas (Ecuadorian Federation of Evangelical Indigenous) FOIN - Federation de Organizations Indigenas de Napo (Federation of Indigenous Organizations of the Napo) OPIP - Organization del Pueblos Indigenas del Pastaza (Organization of Indigenous Peoples of Pastaza) MUPP-NP - Movimiento Unido Plurinacional Pachakutik - Nuevo Pais (Unified Plurinational Movement Pachakutik - New Country) PCE - Partido Comunista del Ecuador (Communist Party of Ecuador) PSE - Partido Socialista del Ecuador (Socialist Party of Ecuador) PSP - Partido Socialista del Peru (Socialist Party of Peru) v Political Map of Ecuador ~~37—7 COLOMBIA SantofMn^ ESMERALDAS T\ < v.CARCHI Purto •• - I j X " IMBABuSr J V \ v auci.'Mnins -dilKCoknta i"^ f W; A v—V. r- Fwto Fmcisco • J fA/ deOr^tena /! ) COTOPAXl/l f , NAP(CocaO) Nusvo 1 UlmJm 'Tens RocatatBt ah^ ~ • A Pi »rto MAahuaS^——, /X 4 1 . MnHio i s' I \ ! ;L»«* PASTAZA , l s J •4 - ?A7oJ X / Mactti N, PERU Btni -^f ... """A MORONA- SANTIAGO V W j / | SANTIAGO /Mr. ' c, r Puna AZUAY^'V^ ' Turnbes r-535 ,oro \ Ai jr LOJA S JI ZAMOIW. - /—CHWCHIPE V PE RU 8ound»y npnMrtMen Figure 1.1 - Political Map of Ecuador (Source: http://www.vmapas.com/Americas/Ecuador/maps-en.html) Map of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador Figure 1.2 - Map of Indigenous Nationalities (source: Los Pueblos y Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador, CONAIE 2008) 1. Nationality Awa 13. Pueblo Panzaleo 24. Nationality Siona 2. Nationality Epera 14. Pueblo Salasaka 25. Nationality Secoya 3. Nationality Chachi 15. Pueblo Kisapincha 26. Nationality Wuoarani 4. Pueblo Manta 16. Pueblo Chibuleo (Huoarani) 5. Pueblo Wankavilka 17. Pueblo Waranka 27. Nationality Zapara 6. Nationality Tsa'Chila 18. Pueblo Puruha 28. Nationality Shiwiar 7. Pueblo Pasto 19. Pueblo Kanari 29. Nationality Andoa 8. Pueblo Otavalo 20. Pueblo Palta 30. Nationality Ashuar 9. Pueblo Natabuela 21. Pueblo Saraguro 31. Nationality Shuar 10. Pueblo Karanki 22. Nationality 32. Pueblo Amazonian 11. Pueblo Kayambi Amazonian Kichwa Kichwa Saraguro 12 Pueblo Kitukara 23. Nationality Cofan vf Chapter One: Introduction Above the Andean city of Otavalo, Ecuador, a diminutive tree is perched on a cleared hill top. El Lechero, "the Milking Tree" as it is known locally, is believed to be many hundreds of years old and was given its name for the milky white sap. Local indigenous people, Otavalo pueblo of the Kichwa nationality, also known the tree as yayitu taitiku, "little