LATIN AMERICA ECUADOR

Ecuador may the second smallest country in South America but it boasts an enormous amount of geographic, biological and ethnic diversity. Ecuador benefits from being home to thousands of species of animals and plants, as well as a wealth of ethnic and racial groups. Over 60% of Ecuadorians are of mixed European and American-Indian heritage, and 25% describe themselves as being born of one of the nation's indigenous peoples. Despite this pervasive mixing, deep regional rivalries, such as a protracted rivalry between coastal city Guayaquil and the Andean capital, Quito, remain a staple of Ecuador's internal politics. Ecuador also has an unofficial, yet deeply entrenched, "caste" system, based upon race and ancestral history.

Bomba del Chota is an Afro-Ecuadorian form of music and dance from the northwestern Chota Valley. Most likely of origin among Bantu people in the Congo, Bomba music features guitar, Bombo (drum), Guiro, and sometimes even plant leaves used as an element of percussion. Bomba dancers are known for balancing bottles on their heads while they dance. Which is exactly what we try to do in class….