Chota Valley - Afro-Ecuadorian cultures and traditions

Situated 34 km North of Ibarra and habitated in large part by Afro-Ecuadorians who have many of their own interesting traditions in music and dance. This valley is irrigated by the Chota River which makes the farmland fertile and apt for the cultivation of tropical fruit and the alleviation of rheumatic and arthritic disorders.

The banda mocha is a town band kept alive by the men of the local community. Their specialty consists in interpreting music with natural instruments such as jug bass, whistles made from orange leaves, homemade goatskin drums and so on. The women dance along balancing bottles on their heads showing off their posture and skill.