Tsáchila

Indigenous people in Ecuador Tsáchila man guiding a forest walk near Santo Domingo de Los ColoradosThe Tsachila, also called the Colorados (meaning “the red-colored ones”), are an indigenous people of the Ecuadorian province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, partly named after them. Their native language is Tsafiki, a member of the Barbacoan linguistic family, and translates to mean "true word". Population According to the 1997 census, their population had reached 2,640 inhabitants. These are grouped into eight communities: Cóngoma Grante (St. John), Los Naranjos, El Búho de los Colorados, El Poste, Peripa, Chigüpe, Otongo Mapalí, and Filomena Aguavil (Tahuaza). These communities are located in the rural canton of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas. Geography The Tsachila people are located near the base of the Andes Mountains. The province has a surface area of 3,857 km², an altitude of 625 m, and is located 120 km from the Pacific Ocean. The province shares a border to the north and east with Pichincha, to the west with Manabí, to the south with Los Ríos, and the southeast with Cotopaxi. Ecuador’s northwestern zone is the zone that receives the most rainfall in the co