Valor cultural del maíz y tecnologías ancestrales en la parroquia Cayambe de Ecuador

This article, is about cultural values of corn (Zea mays) in the parish of Cayambe (Pichincha, Ecuador), describes the technologies and rituals associated with this product, and refers to the loss of its traditional uses, which have been influenced by changes in current agricultural productive initiatives and attempt to relate the cultural value of corn with tourism, gastronomy, ancestral knowledge and agro ecology activities. Like other cultures from South America, the ancient inhabitants of the province of Cayambe, called “Cayambis” - the same as the Incas- have worshipped corn and had its own celebration and rituals around the harvest, previous to the Inti Raymi s Inca Festival. However, the relationship between this festival and corn has been lost within current collective memory of the people of this parish due to internal and external migration, as well as other factors. In the investigation that helped as base to the article, was verified that the principal causes of the cultural erosion in the vernacular population of the parish are, the deep and severe acculturation, the population s loss of identity and the lack of integration of migrant population to the life style and costumes of cayambeños.