Tsachila Communities

The Tsachila are a people of the western foothills whose province is named for them, and they are widely recognised in Ecuador by one practice: men shaping their hair with a paste of achiote, the red seed pulp, into a flat cap of bright red, traditionally worn with black-striped body paint and a striped cotton wrap. Seven comunas survive south of Santo Domingo, and several receive visitors through community tourism, showing plant use, music on the marimba, weaving and the work of the ponés, the healers whose reputation draws Ecuadorians from across the country. Their language, Tsafiki, is still spoken. Visits need arranging in advance and are not casual drop-ins.

What to look for

• Achiote-red hair - the practice the Tsachila are known for.
• Tsafiki still spoken - the community's own language.
• Medicinal plant knowledge - the tradition the ponés work in.
• Marimba music and weaving - the crafts shown to visitors.

When to go

June to November is drier; the area is wet and hot in every month. Half a day. Visits must be booked ahead through the comuna, not arranged on arrival.

Good to know

Everyday dress is ordinary clothing; the red hair is worn for ceremony and for visitors, and presenting it as daily life is misleading. Some visits are heavily staged. Photography needs explicit permission. Santo Domingo itself is a rough transit city.

Nearby

Santo Domingo is north; Quito lies east over the mountains.