"Our grandparents are buried here; our grandparents know:" re-membering a Quijos territory and identity

Abstract

In this thesis I explore how memory shapes Quijos notions of territory and identity. My research is based on fieldwork I conducted with the Amazonian Quijos in Napo, Ecuador. I examine how the places on the land are intimately tied to Quijos production of shamanic knowledge, health, and social wellbeing, as well as how the land is an essential element that enables the Quijos to remember. The Ecuadorian state has historically attempted to control the Quijos using models of “behavior” imposed through agrarian reform and the creation of ecological conservation areas. I explore the emergence of the “new” Quijos identity and focus on how its members interact with the state as they attempt to gain autonomy. Finally, I argue that through memory-work, the Quijos effectively produce their own identity and territory, thus creating a space independent of state intervention that provides the autonomy they are seeking.