Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia are the three countries with the largest relative and absolute indigenous population in South America. Along with Mexico and Guatemala, these countries concentrate the majority of “witness” peoples (as Brazilian anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro named them) throughout the American continent. Given the historical and cultural significance of these groups, examining how they live today and how they are willing to play an active role in the political arena of their countries is of the utmost importance.

In this chapter, I will focus on Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru: the three Central Andean countries which share centuries of history, first as part of the Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire), and afterwards as part of the same Spanish Viceroyalty before they became modern independent states in the nineteenth century.

After a brief summary of some basic facts concerning their indigenous population, this chapter will narrate the intertwined history of these countries with special emphasis on more recent developments, taking into account the impact of subsequent waves of globalization in their territories, resources and ways of life as well as the main proposals and also the achievements of these movements in relation to the political role of indigenous populations in the state.

Basic Data

The geographical backbone uniting these three countries together from north to south is the Andean mountain range, which centuries ago, was also the part of the domains of the Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyu), the capital of which was Cusco, in Peru.