Circular migration and community identity: Their relationship to the land

Abstract

In Chapter 18, the tension between attachment to the land and the need to migrate to earn a livelihood felt by indigenous peoples is studied to assess patterns of out-migration in Cotacachi. While results indicate a considerable desire or need to work outside of Cotacachi for income, they show an even higher attachment to place. Despite traveling for work, most indigenous peoples continue to identify Cotacachi as their home. This process, called circulation, allows for a continuous flow in and out of the region.