Mulauco: Study Site

 This study was conducted in the rural Comuna of Mulauco located about 40 Km

east of Quito, the Ecuadorian capital3 (Figure 1). Administratively the Comuna Mulauco

is part of the parochial seat of Pifo,4 which is within the Metropolitan District of Quito.

Besides Mulauco, there are other communities in Pifo. These are Virginia, Sigsipamba,

and Tabl6n, which are located in the flanks of the Real or Oriental (East) cordillera.

 Pifo is part of the Tumbaco-Guayllabamba valley complex, which surrounds Quito

at the Eastern and Northern part of this city. Due to altitude, weather, and soil conditions,

this valley has developed an important agriculture activity, and since the 1970s, flower

plantations have used this valley. According to the flower agribusiness trade association

this area of Quito encompasses 24.9% (812 hectares or 2,092 acres) of the total area of

flower plantations in Ecuador. Quito and other cantons of the same province5 share 62%

of the national flower plantation area estimated in 3,262 hectares (7,828 acres)

(Expoflores 2003).

 The Comuna of Mulauco6 is mainly composed of descendents from indigenous

workers of the surrounding hacienda Mulauco.




3 As part of my study, I also visited the area of Alpamalag de Acurio located 100 km south of Quito, where
I visited a flower plantation and met its manager.
4 Pifo is a rural parish located at the North East part of Quito, 35 kilometers from this city. Pifo lies at
latitude: 0013'60 S, and longitude of 78019'60 W. Its altitude is 2770 m, and its average temperature is
120C. Pifo's populations is 9,005 inhabitants, with a density of 01-05 inhabitants per hectare (1 hectare =
2.4 acres) See: Quito, Distrito Metropolitano,
http://www.quito.gov.ec/municipio/administraciones/madzpifo.htm.
5 Quito belongs to the Pichincha province.
6 For the Description of the Comuna Mulauco I use the information gathered from my interviews with the
following people, member of the Comuna Mulauco: Susana Quilumba, Patricio Collahuaso, Maria
Dianacallo, and her father Jose Dianacallo. Susana Quilumba is a former flower worker, and Patricio
Collahuaso still works in the flower industry.
7 Hacienda is a big piece of land (usually more than 150 acres), dedicated to growing products for local and
regional consumption. Traditionally indigenous people, who lived with all their families in small parcels
named huasipungos, composed haciendas' labor force. Haciendas' production system became obsolete