DYNAMICS AND DILEMMAS AROUND THE COSTUMES OF THE INDIGENOUS KICHWA PEOPLE CHIBULEO, Tungurahua, Ecuador

This paper describes the changes in the costumes of the Kichwa Chibuleo indigenous people, located in the Ambato canton, in the province of Tungurahua, Ecuador. It is qualitative research that combines the techniques of documentary and historical analysis, from 1553 to nowadays. It uses as sources, the General Archive of the Indies and other documents available in the country. Additionally, our research uses the participatory approach with the Chibuleo people to appoint key informants, who provide fundamental data on clothing through interviews and focus groups. The fieldwork has been carried out since 2018 until 2020. The main findings reveal changes in male attire; meanwhile, the feminine evidences a stylization close to Western culture. The fundamental dilemma facing the Chibuleo people is the loss of local knowledge in the artisanal elaboration of clothing, versus the incorporation of Western machinery and techniques.