Historical
Summary
Federico
Gonzales Suarez
sums up the
history of
Ecuador :
“The Incas
named the
inhabitants
of the province
the ‘Quillasingas’,
which are
now known
as the Carchis.
Huayna-Capac
arrived at
Angasmayo
and remained
there, however,
the name ‘Quillasingas’
was given
by the Incas
to basically
all indigenous
tribes that
inhabited
the area from
Chota to the
valley of
Atris , where
the town of
Pasto was
founded afterwards.”
The word ‘Quillasinga’
is Quichua
and designated
to those who
wear metal
accessories
in their noses
as a symbol
of moon worship.
This was traditionally
custom of
the males
of this tribe.
According
to Suarez
“the extensive
lands and
meadows were
well-suited
to cattle
farming, therefore
the Spanish
named the
area ‘the
province of
pastures’”,
in Castilian.
According
to anthropologic
research,
the Carchis
originate
from four
different
ancient civilisations
or cultures:
the Cayapas
from the Esmeraldas,
the Pastos
and Quillasingas
coming from
the north
and those
from the Caribbean
and Amazon.
Archaeologists
have discovered
special ceramic
objects that
suggest the
existence
of a relatively
advanced pre-Inca
civilisation.
Carchi
during Independence
The
inhabitants
of Tulcan
were the first
to rise up
against the
Spanish. After
the first
cries of independence
in Quito on
August 10
th 1809 more
than a hundred
Carchi inhabitants
enrolled in
the patriotic
ranks and
in the expedition
organised
in Tulcan
with Quiteneans
Manuel Zambrano
and Francisco
Javier Ascazubi.
The expedition
was eventually
defeated by
the realists
at River Guaitara
on October
16 th of the
same year.
From then
onwards, Tulcan
has been the
protagonist
in a number
of struggles
against the
realists.
After the
Battle of
Pichincha,
the Spanish
troops withdrew
towards the
north and
the population
of Tulcan
contributed
to the defeat
of Aymerich
and his consequent
surrender.
Liberator
Simon Bolivar
arrived in
Tulcan after
the Battle
of Bombona
(December
1822) and,
after learning
of the patriotic
spirit of
the inhabitants
of Tulcan,
gave a speech
to the town
in which he
showed gratitude
to those who
helped, in
particular
Juan Agustin
Argoti, native
of Tulcan.
The Role of
Tulcan
Due
to its geographic
location and
topography,
Tulcan was
converted
into a sentry,
the reason
for which
it’s been
considered
an important
fortified
town. Numerous
wars and bloody
revolutions
have taken
place in the
town, particularly
in the early
stages of
the Republican
period, thanks
to the campaigns
of General
Flores. Several
political
refugees have
passed through
the town,
including
Ecuadorian
writer Juan
Montalvo.
The Congress
of 1880 elevated
Tulcan’s status
to capital
of the province;
the executive
decree was
sanctioned
on 19 th November
of the same
year.
Last Updated
4th August
2006 (DLW)
