Otavalo Markets - Animals, Artisan Goods, Food

Overview of Animal Market
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At 8 AM the animal market in Otavalo has been in full swing for almost two hours.  As you approach the market, the streets are lined with vendors that sell any kind of household or clothing item imaginable.  People holding multiple live chickens by their feet with their heads dangling down or pulling a squealing pig with a rope around its neck, body, or leg can be seen leaving the market.  The traffic on the 4-lane Panamericana Norte Highway (Pana) regularly comes to a halt as droves of people are trying to cross the road in either direction, creating some dangerous situations (drivers typically are not used to stopping for pedestrians, and the presence of police officers seems to do little to control the looming chaos).

Tetheredd pigs
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The first people with animals to sell arrive at around sunrise to stake out their spot in a large, partially fenced field at the edge of Otavalo just across the Pana.  The animal market only happens once a week on Saturdays and is the place to sell and buy any kind of animal imaginable.

Otavalo Saturday market - the largest in South America

While the market is mainly devoted to livestock, such as pigs, cows, horses, sheep, and goats that take up most of the space, they are far outnumbered by the smaller animals, mainly chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, and ducks.  In addition, a few kittens and puppies, that may be designed to became pets or more likely working animals, are offered for sale.  Cats seem be fairly rare in this region mostly because of the abundance of street dogs.  The few cats we have seen either live indoors or stay on the roofs or houses and sheds, out of reach of the street dogs.

Tethered pigs
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Larger animals are mostly tethered to a peg in the ground or tied to a fence, while smaller animals are either in pens, cages, sacks, or baskets.  The handling of many of the animals may not necessarily meet US standards for pets, but here these animals are considered a commodity and necessity of life to buy and sell and to generate some income or products such as eggs or milk.  Cuys (guinea pigs) are grabbed by the throat, poked and prodded to see how fat they are.  Pigs are pulled around to make them go.  We did not observe any true cruelty, just handling that may be rougher than what we typically would see in the US.

Guinea Pigs
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Animals are typically raised fairly naturally and many do not receive any special food, only what the land bears and that is not consumed by the people.  Corn and beans are grown foremost for human consumption and not to fatten pigs and cows like is done in the US.  There is specialty food available for the animals but many indigenous people cannot afford to buy this type of food.

Clearly, meat is more of a luxury item and is mostly a supplement to a meal, if it is part of a meal at all, and not the major part of the meal which is more typical in the US.  This is reflected in the cost of the animals that varies greatly from about $1 for a smaller chicken to over $10 for a large chicken that produces high quality eggs.  A small pig may cost $20-$30, and a large, fattened pig could cost up to $300.

Guinea pig being evaluated by potential buyer
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By 9 AM most artesians have set up their booth and most of the main streets and some of the side streets are virtually impassible for any kind of traffic except pedestrians.  Hundreds upon hundreds of booths are set up that sell any kind of artesian products imaginable.  While woven products (scarves, shawls, table cloths, blankets, bags of any size, tapestry, clothing items) predominate, there are many other items that run the gamut from wood carvings, to paintings and jewelry to the downright weird fake shrunken heads and tons of items in between.  Seeing everything in one day is just about impossible.  Just looking at every booth on the ´Plaza de Ponchos´where the weekday and Sunday artesian market is located can take hours.

Guinea pigs, rabbits, and chickens in pens
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While many of the products offered look the same, there are often slight difference in style, design, and possibly quality.  It certainly pays to look around before buying anything but the overabundance of the offerings can easily be so overwhelming that is leads to complete indecision what and where to buy.  Bottom line is, you can´t really go wrong.  The products are well worth the asking price but it certainly does not hurt to bargain a little.

Insiders know that there are specific times when it is easiest to get a good deal: early in the morning before the specific vendor has made a sale and when it is raining.  The first sale apparently brings good luck and sets the tone for the day and the rain drives many potential buyers away and if you are willing to brave it, you can drive a good bargain.

Typical stall in meat market
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One time when we went to buy larger quantities for resale in the US to allow us to fund projects in the indigenous communities, we took our indigenous friend with us to help us get the best possible deal.  There is a difference between standard retail price to gringos and the retail and wholesale price given to locals.

In addition to the artesian market that more geared toward tourists than the locals, there is are large area that is more devoted to the needs of the local population.  While you can find tons of American style products such as T-shirts and baseball caps, there are some local twists.  Anybody interested in a T-shirt or ball cap with Ernesto ´Che´Guevara´s likeness?  No problem.  Forty years after his death he still seems to be a revered figure in Ecuador.

Sheep heads for sale in meat market
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However, of most interest to the locals are the indigenous clothes, blouses, skirts, shirts, pants, and shoes that are worn by many indigenous on a daily basis.  Most shoes available now have plastic soles and only few still have the original sisal rope sole which is much more comfortable.  That seems to be the only obvious concession made to the original style of clothing.  Everything else still looks the same as it has 100 years ago.

While the Saturday artisan market is in full swing, many other vendors of mainly vegetables, fruits, grains, and prepared foods have set up their booths.  Any kind of mainly locally grown vegetable imaginable can be found basically year-round.  Many types of fruits, most of which are grown in the subtropical and tropical parts of Ecuador are available, depending on the season.  In October, you could get six 1+ pound papayas for $1 and by the end of November, mangoes were in season and I was able to get seven large mangoes for $1.  Maracuyas, grenadillas, various types of bananas, taxos, etc. etc. can be found as well as highland grown tree tomatoes and avocados.  The offer is almost endless and the vendors are trying to outcompete each other to make a sale.

Six types of corn for various uses (no, its not just for popcorn anymore)
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After taking all this is in, it is certainly time for lunch, and again, it is decision time among the many offerings ranging from deep-fried fish, oven-baked pork, to grilled chicken and much more.  Many food vendors set up shop at the ´Plaza de Ponchos´ on Saturdays but during the week, most prepared foods can be found the mostly covered market area that offers a little bit of everything, vegetable, fruits, grains, meats, etc.  The prepared food vendors are set up in long rows with simple benches at the counter.  It is certainly ´fast food´ because you can just sit down, order your food and you get it in no time but compared to the US style fast food, this is made from fresh ingredients ladled from a huge pot or frying pan on a ceramic plate or bowl and you get real silverware.  The only thing that is disposable is the napkin.  Often these meals are served with some kind of juice or lemonade.  Beer and colas, while available at some places are rarely consumed.

Stalls with prepared lunch-type food
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It is certainly worthwhile to peruse the other offerings in this covered market place unless the view of carcasses hanging from the ceiling and heads of some kind of animal sitting on a counter makes your stomach turn.  While that may not look sanitary to our eyes that are only used to seeing meat in styrofoam trays with shrink wrapping all around, that´s how meats have been sold and bought for a long time and people don´t get sick.  After all, you don´t eat the meat raw.

Don´t miss checking out the variety of grains and beans and the flours made from these grains and beans and other starchy products that are on display mostly in large sacks.  One vendor had six different types of dried corn available, each of which has a specific use as have the different types of flours made from these kernels of corn.  We could only figure out a few of these uses, but hundreds or thousands of years of growing and using these varieties of corn have led to the development of very specific uses best suited to each corn variety.

Busy street market scene
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(Please make sure to click on ´View more photos´ to view more interesting pictures of the Otavalo market.)