Otavalo Market Maze

The Otavalo market, about 2 hours outside of Quito, is a maze of colors, textures, patterns, sounds and smells. It is a lot of hola senoritas-pointing at a ceramic egg painted with a bright nativity scene, bonitos-pointing at a floral purse, un regalo-pointing at a leather belt, hello speak English-pointing at silver jewelry. And of course-todo hecho de mano y 100 por 100 puro (made by hand and one hundred percent pure wool or whatever you want it to be). You can get lost in the rows of texiled colorful MC hammer pants, ponchos, hammocks, paintings, blankets, and knit tiger finger puppets.

In stark contrast to the capital of Quito where everyone wears knock off American brand clothing like American Eagle and Ambercrombie scrawled across a plain white gym t-shirt. Here many of the women wear traditional clothing-the flexible uniform may be a dark colored felt hat, sort of top hat style and sometimes they stick a peacock feather in it, necklaces worn high on the neck made of tiny red or gold beads strung into rows to make it maybe as thick as your hand, and a long gray wool-like skirt. You can watch these women, with great patience and skill, create their art. Whether it is colorful bracelets, beaded necklaces, or handmade ponchos.

There are many people trying to preserve beautiful traditions in Otavol, but there are also lots of these traditions being exploited for tourists. Cheap bags, scarves, ponchos, hats, etc which are clearly machine made are overflowing in Otavalo. And the people are very eager to sell you this non-art for cheap, really cheap. You can get about 10 scarves for 10 dollars.

It definitely feels a bit strange walking around the market and feeling the same intense, hungry staring I have experienced at certain bars and clubs. Except these people really may be hungry in the literal sense of the word. I don’t really like to be followed after in the market if I decide not to buy something or taken advantage of in bargaining, but I also understand that $1 buys lunch here.

In the Otavalo market maze I felt a bit dizzy with the combination of awe for the beauty of the traditions being preserved and a sense of sadness that I can’t quite name.