Sumak Kawsay - Good and Perfect Life in the Intercultural and Plurinational Ecuador

Ecuadorian society is characterized by cultural and ethnic diversity.

The goal of Ecuadorian constitution is to build a new form of civil coexistence in diversity and harmony with nature to achieve the good life, sumak kawsay.

SUMAK KAWSAY

The concept of "good living" takes its terminology "sumak kawsay" of ancestral Quechua worldview of life.

According to its proponents present similarly among the Aymara as suma qamaña and among the Guarani as Porâ teko teko or kavi.

In its original meaning Kichwa, sumak refers to the realization of the ideal and beautiful planet, while kawsay means "life," a decent life to the full.

The "sumak kawsay" ancestral sees people as an element of Mother Earth or Pachamama (mother world).

So, unlike other paradigms, sumac kawsay seeks balance with nature in the satisfaction of needs ("take only what is necessary").

SUMAK KAWSAY TODAY

The relationship with nature has a privileged place in the vision of "Good Life" by Ecuador’s Indigenous People.

The man takes the second place after the environment, because we are a part of the nature.

Nature is the source of life and the humans are the thinking part of this reality.

The nature has the priority because without it the mankind cannot live.

So, to be concerned about the good of the humanity means to first defend the land and establish harmony between nature and human beings.

Which implies respect for all natural environments.