small waterfall near San Rafael Waterfall
Jumandy
Legend has it that long ago, there lived a great cacique leader named Jumandy who greatly feared the advance of the enemy onto his land and knew that he would resist the foreigners at all costs. It was the year 1563 when the Spanish had only been on the continent for eighty years or so.
Two Spanish travellers, named Bartolome' and Andre's, heard his name many years before the events of this story whilst leaving their dirty footprints throughout the Sumaco region. The indigenous people held the name Jumandy with such respect and pride that they knew that this man must be the most important and feared leader of the land, the Cacique of the Quijos people. It was as if even the trees whispered his name as the Iberian soldiers passed by. When at last they reached the wood in which they found the great Cacique Jumandy, he paid close attention to Bartolome', examining him with a wary eye, and ordered him not to cause any problems in his land, because he had fifteen thousand warriors at his disposal, armed and ready for battle. And many years after this warning, in the year 1578, Jumandy, together with the men, surrounded the city of Avila to stop the Spanish from escaping.
After the destruction of Avila and Archidona, when the Pendes and Caciques came together to discuss matters, they unanimously chose Jumandy to be their “Great War Cacique” so that he would lead the armies of Quijos to march on Baeza. Jumandy swelled with pride at the news, but vowed to himself not to let himself revel in glory at the title he had been given, but rather live up to the expectations that the title held. As soon as the meeting ended, and he promised to all that he would faithful to his people and not disappoint them, Jumandy left with haste to talk with the Caciques from other confederations in the Amazon region and from the Highlands. He promised his help to all and called on all indigenous peoples to unite and stand strong againt the enemy so as to expel the foreigners not just from the Amazon region, but from the whole Royal Audience of Quito. His speeches roused the people to action and gave them hope and strength. He became a great orator and thus emerged as one of the finest heroes of Ecuador and indeed of the entire American continent.
However, his plans were foiled as the Spanish in Baeza got wind of what was occurring. They alerted the central Spanish forces and called for and received their plea for reinforcements. It was the Highland Caciques who had informed the Spanish of the Quijos people's intentions, since they opposed the idea of all indigenous peoples uniting. They argued that the Quechua of the Andes had nothing to do with the Kichwa from the Amazon jungle, and in order to prevent the Kichwa from swooping in and claiming their land, they must temporarily side with the Spanish and crush the Quijos people.
When Jumandy, who proudly led his warriors at the front, reached Baeza, he was greeted with heavy gunfire and although he fought bravely with his men, it was to no avail and he finally had to call his troops to retreat into the jungle. Despite their courage, their blow darts and lances made of chonta wood were no match for the enemy's firearms.
He journeyed for many days through the jungle, travelling South along the Misahualli river until he found a complex of caves just outside the city of Archidona. Here, he took refuge with his warriors and gathered his thoughts and plans for a counter-attack.
The Spanish soldiers hunted and searched for him day and night, high and low. Whilst in retreat, Jumandy had planned an ambush and so when they approached, he attacked those blood-thirsty and fierce soldiers by surprise. But, in the end, he was captured and taken to Quito, where he was tried by the Royal Audience of Quito in which he was sentenced to death. He was hung alongside other three Cacique leaders, Beto, Guami and Imbate, where the Plaza de San Blas now lies.
With his great speech-making skills and belief in unity, Jumandy is one of the great South American heroes who gave his life fighting for his people's freedom. His memory has been commemorated and his name has not been forgotten. The caves in which he took shelter were given his name and there is a statue in the middle of a roundabout that joins onto the highway from Tena to Archidona. On approach to the popular jungle town of Tena, the first thing visitors see is Jumandy's figure with a lance in one hand and his eyes raised upwards with pride and courage.
Legend has it that long ago, there lived a great cacique leader named Jumandy who greatly feared the advance of the enemy onto his land and knew that he would resist the foreigners at all costs. It was the year 1563 when the Spanish had only been on the continent for eighty years or so.
Two Spanish travellers, named Bartolome' and Andre's, heard his name many years before the events of this story whilst leaving their dirty footprints throughout the Sumaco region. The indigenous people held the name Jumandy with such respect and pride that they knew that this man must be the most important and feared leader of the land, the Cacique of the Quijos people. It was as if even the trees whispered his name as the Iberian soldiers passed by. When at last they reached the wood in which they found the great Cacique Jumandy, he paid close attention to Bartolome', examining him with a wary eye, and ordered him not to cause any problems in his land, because he had fifteen thousand warriors at his disposal, armed and ready for battle. And many years after this warning, in the year 1578, Jumandy, together with the men, surrounded the city of Avila to stop the Spanish from escaping.
After the destruction of Avila and Archidona, when the Pendes and Caciques came together to discuss matters, they unanimously chose Jumandy to be their “Great War Cacique” so that he would lead the armies of Quijos to march on Baeza. Jumandy swelled with pride at the news, but vowed to himself not to let himself revel in glory at the title he had been given, but rather live up to the expectations that the title held. As soon as the meeting ended, and he promised to all that he would faithful to his people and not disappoint them, Jumandy left with haste to talk with the Caciques from other confederations in the Amazon region and from the Highlands. He promised his help to all and called on all indigenous peoples to unite and stand strong againt the enemy so as to expel the foreigners not just from the Amazon region, but from the whole Royal Audience of Quito. His speeches roused the people to action and gave them hope and strength. He became a great orator and thus emerged as one of the finest heroes of Ecuador and indeed of the entire American continent.
However, his plans were foiled as the Spanish in Baeza got wind of what was occurring. They alerted the central Spanish forces and called for and received their plea for reinforcements. It was the Highland Caciques who had informed the Spanish of the Quijos people's intentions, since they opposed the idea of all indigenous peoples uniting. They argued that the Quechua of the Andes had nothing to do with the Kichwa from the Amazon jungle, and in order to prevent the Kichwa from swooping in and claiming their land, they must temporarily side with the Spanish and crush the Quijos people.
When Jumandy, who proudly led his warriors at the front, reached Baeza, he was greeted with heavy gunfire and although he fought bravely with his men, it was to no avail and he finally had to call his troops to retreat into the jungle. Despite their courage, their blow darts and lances made of chonta wood were no match for the enemy's firearms.
He journeyed for many days through the jungle, travelling South along the Misahualli river until he found a complex of caves just outside the city of Archidona. Here, he took refuge with his warriors and gathered his thoughts and plans for a counter-attack.
The Spanish soldiers hunted and searched for him day and night, high and low. Whilst in retreat, Jumandy had planned an ambush and so when they approached, he attacked those blood-thirsty and fierce soldiers by surprise. But, in the end, he was captured and taken to Quito, where he was tried by the Royal Audience of Quito in which he was sentenced to death. He was hung alongside other three Cacique leaders, Beto, Guami and Imbate, where the Plaza de San Blas now lies.
With his great speech-making skills and belief in unity, Jumandy is one of the great South American heroes who gave his life fighting for his people's freedom. His memory has been commemorated and his name has not been forgotten. The caves in which he took shelter were given his name and there is a statue in the middle of a roundabout that joins onto the highway from Tena to Archidona. On approach to the popular jungle town of Tena, the first thing visitors see is Jumandy's figure with a lance in one hand and his eyes raised upwards with pride and courage.