Principal,

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

is a small village located at the furthest reaches of the

Chordeleg Canton Chordeleg Canton () is a canton of Ecuador, located in the Azuay Province. Its capital is the town of Chordeleg. Its population at the 2001 census was 10,859. Demographics Ethnic groups as of the Ecuadorian census of 2010: *Mestizo 93.8% *Whit ...

, part of the

Azuay Province Azuay (), Province of Azuay is a province of Ecuador, created on 25 June 1824. It encompasses an area of . Its capital is Cuenca. It is located in the south center of Ecuador in the highlands. Its mountains reach above sea level in the national ...

, that is governed by a local authority named "Gobierno Autónimo Descentralizado" or GAD, that oversees public affairs, the Info Center and internet cafe. Principal is above sea level on the Andes Mountain Range known in Ecuador as the Sierra. Th
Volcán Fasayña
is a massive rock that the town rests beneath which, according to lore, is where the

Cañari The Cañari (in Kichwa: Kañari) are an indigenous ethnic group traditionally inhabiting the territory of the modern provinces of Azuay and Cañar in Ecuador. They are descended from the independent pre-Columbian tribal confederation of the s ...

people originated. The town is known for its traditional

Panama hat A Panama hat, also known as an Ecuadorian hat, a jipijapa hat, or a toquilla straw hat, is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. Traditionally, hats were made from the plaited leaves of the ''Carludovica palmata'' plant, known ...

artisanal An artisan (from french: artisan, it, artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art ...

goods, and local organic apples. The Panama hats are, according to the local indigenous people, part of the local indigenous dress and the practice of

weaving Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal th ...

them has been passed down from generation to generation by the women in the population. Principal's climate does not change much season to season due to its close location to the equator; the average temperature is . Cuenca, the third largest city in Ecuador, is only a two-hour bus ride away. Principal Ecuador hats

Culture and tourism

Principal is known for its secluded natural environment and artisanal products. There are a number of hikes and guided tours to natural sites including La Cabaña, El Infiernillo, El Chorro, La Cruz de Misión, La Burra Playa, and Las Tres Lagunas. There is a river that runs through the valley in Principal called the Rio Samba Rancho, with local trout or " troucha." Nearly all of the fruits, vegetables, and livestock are organic, in which the local population takes pride. They also produce and jar their own local

marmalade Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits boiled with sugar and water. The well-known version is made from bitter orange. It is also made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, mandarins, sweet oranges, bergamo ...

made from a variety of fruits that is sold in supermarkets in the nearby towns and cities, including Cuenca. Each year in April the town hosts a "Festival de las Manzanas" or "Apple Festival" to showcase the fruit from the previous season. The event has many different dishes made from apples and festivities in the center of town at the "Cancha" or court. View of Principal's downtown

The women of Principal are frequently seen in their traditional indigenous dress weaving hats while they walk down the street and go about their lives. " Cuy", or guinea pig, is a local delicacy in all of Ecuador and is served on special occasions in Principal. There are a number of different artisan groups in Principal who weave their products and sell them in a local store as well as a

fair trade Fair trade is an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The fair trade movement combines the payment of higher prices to exporters with improved social and enviro ...

store in Cuenca.

References

External links

PrincipalLonely Planet
{{coord, 3, 01, 35, S, 78, 45, 05, W, display=title, region:EC_type:city Populated places in Azuay Province