Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean

Portal of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean

Ecuador - Guallupe

The first settlers of the area of Guallupe were the former slaves of the haciendas in the lower valley of Mira, who tired of being slaves and who after the executive decree of the president of the Republic, General José María Urbina, on July 21, 1851, fled to the mountains. They left the hacienda of Cuajara156 years ago. This town was founded by 17 families.

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The leader of the group was Camilo Arce together with his wife doña Paula Borja and his brother Justo Arce, they invited to the venture the following couples Minda – Chalá, Arce – Minda, Arce – Arce, and also Prudencio de la Cruz and Antonio Pavón, among the main ones. Camilo Arce, a man full of noble feelings, could not admit that being free they should have to go on living in Cuajara. They wanted to live in a place of freedom and this could only be done by going into the wild mountain area of the basin of Mira, where the landowners did not cultivate the land. The former slaves arrived to Guallupe by way of El Pailón.

Good access through a primary road, the Ibarra- San Lorenzo highway
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Other data of interest

Ecuador

Historical name

Guallupe

Founding Date

1861- 09-20

Address

Comunidad de Guallupe via Ibarra-San Lorenzo

Phone numbers

06 3016666 (Marianita Minda líder de la comunidad)

Classification

Human settlement

Function-Testimony

Refuge of runaway slaves

Access level

Free

Current Use

Human settlement

Original use

Refuge of runaway slaves

Property kind

State