Cajas National Park Juliana Torres Carrasco The Institution “Cajas National Park” • Legal Establishment: 1996. • Decentralization Agreement: 6th of March 2000. How to arrive to Cajas National Park? • It is located on the West of the city of Cuenca. It has two access roads: 1. North limit: CuencaSayausi-QuinoasMiguir-Molleturo. 2. Southern Limit: Cuenca-San JoaquinSoldados-AngasChaucha. Transportation • Everyday at the bus terminal in Cuenca one can board the buses that go to Guayaquil through Cajas. • The coast is $ 1,50 to the toreadora refuge an $ 1,00 to the entrance of Llaviuco About nature and Culture • Rocks are from Mesozoic era. • Lake complex come from the Quaternary era. • During the glaciation's period the graded lakes in “boxes”. • Hydrological Resources: 235 lakes. Yanuncay and Tomebamba rivers are originated in the area. • Climate: the minimun temperature is -2ºC and the maximun temperature is 18ºC. • Flora: several species or orchids, ferns, huicundos, mosses, lianas, etc. (Humid Montane forest) Straw, cubilan, valerian, contrahierba, tushig, romerillo, chuquiragua, licopodios, ferns, mosses, quinua tree (Humid Wasteland). • Fauna: deer, yamals, raposos, rabbits, puma, wild cats, huaguar, skunks, bats, chuchucho, chucurillo and wild mice. • The fishing resources: the brown and rainbow trout. Preñadilla (cat fish). • Among the birds: sparrow hawks, churiquinga, condor, ducks, gallareta, trogon, chaupau, bluebirds, hummingbird, Andean tucan, tapaculo, west land partridge, Andean gull, etc. • Cultural resource: witness of the presence of precolonial cultures. (the royal path of the Inca). The Atalayas (sightseeing points). These ruins are one of the most important in Azuay. Panama Hats • Since 1630 Panama Hats are hand-woven in Ecuador. They are made of the fibers from the Toquilla Palm, called Palmata Carludovica. Straw hats woven in Ecuador, like many other 19th and early 20th century South American goods, were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing for their destinations in Asia, the rest of the Americas, and Europe. In 1906 Theodore Roosevelt wore one of those hats while visiting the constructions of the Panama Canal. They're also known as a Jipijapa, named for a town in Ecuador once a center of the hat trade. The Oxford English Dictionary cites a use of the term as early as 1834. • Panama hats are often seen as accessories to summer weight suits, such as linen or silk. Beginning around the turn of the century, panamas began to be associated with the seaside and tropical locales, such as Brighton or the Caribbean. They are usually preferred over felt hats in such climates for they are light colored, light weight, and breathable. • Panama Hats are flexible and can be rolled or folded into a suitcase. You find Panama Hats in many different styles, for men, women and children, used all around the globe. Making process • Only the unfolded shoots are used. • First the shoots are split in finer leafs with help of a metal point. Leaves that are too soft are separated and later used to cover houses. • Then the leaves are cooked for about 20 minutes in hot water and then hung up to dry. During this process they roll up vertically and form wearable strings. The leaves have to be shaken regularly to avoid that they stick together. • Then the fibers are separated from each other and moistened before being woven into a hat, with help of a wooden form to get the right head size. • Especially the beginning of the weaving in one point and the finishing on the outside of the wing needs skill and experience. • For a hat of standard quality a weaver needs about 8 hours, for fine Montecristi Quality up to several weeks, using only the finest fibers. • The further process is made in the hat manufactories in Cuenca: the hats are bleached, dried and steam formed. The next step is made in our warehouse in Guayaquil, where the hats get their finish: outside and inside band, ribbons, tags, labels. And finally the hats are packed in boxes and shipped by plane into the whole world. Cuenca: World Cultural Heritage Site • Cuenca, as the majority of the main cities of Ecuador, developed a history with a mixture of the native indigenous combined with the Spanish heritage that was brought along by the European conquerors. However, Cuenca is located in a valley high up in the mountains surrounded by other smaller valleys of warmer climate; a location without easy access. This isolated Cuenca from the rest of the highlands and the coast as well and thus allowed this quaint city to develop its own history with particularities in the life style of its people. Cuenca is a small jewel in the Andes, considered a World Cultural Heritage Site. It was declared December first of 1999. In UNESCO web page we can find about Cuenca • • • • PropertyHistoric Centre of Santa Ana de los Rios de CuencaId. N°863State PartyEcuador CriteriaC (ii) (iv) (v) • The Committee inscribed the site on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iv) and (v). • Criterion (ii): Cuenca illustrates the successful implantation of the principles of Renaissance urban planning in the Americas. • Criterion (iv): The successful fusion of different societies and cultures in Latin America is vividly symbolized by the layout and townscape of Cuenca. • Criterion (v): Cuenca is an outstanding example of a planned inland Spanish colonial city. • This Declaration is the fundamental importance for Cuenca’s people. It increases the conscience that we live in a prodigal physical space of beauty and cultural securities. This declaration distinguishes us of other towns, give us identity and they should be conserved for the well-being of all the inhabitants of the planet. • Since this perspective Historical Center of our city is not something that only belongs to us. It is a very authentic and exceptional, which gives us a cultural characteristic. It is of propriety of all countries. It is in the same conditions as any other place or place that it has been declared in this condition.