members. The family involves a structure, a hierarchy, and roles for every member,

which is defined by their position in the structure. These family relations have been seen

as something natural or defined by biological determinism (gender, age), but feminist

thinkers view family as a "strong mechanism of class position and an efficient method of

creating and transmitting gender inequalities." (Barrety & Macintosh 1995).

 In Ecuador, the basic family structure lies in a core relation: the mother-child, link,

which is strengthened and reinforced as the child grows up. In addition, the family has a

function of connecting its members to society, being a bridge between the individual and

collective realms (Adelina Gimeno,1999). Family plays a strong role not only in

members' self-perception, but also in the shaping of values, beliefs, and attitudes related

to society, nature and environment, culture, work, and other elements of social life.

However as I will describe later, in contemporary Latin America, particularly in Ecuador,

the concept of the urban family is quite different than that of the rural and/or indigenous

families of the Andean area. In urban areas, where the mainstream Andean society

principally lives with mixed indigenous and European descent, the concept of family is

rooted in Western and Christian traditions.

 Although there is a long history of sharing culture and geography, the indigenous

family is quite different from the mainstream Ecuadorian family. Traditionally,

indigenous people's culture, and socioeconomic life have differed greater from that of the

urban society where European notions are prevalent.

 Family and Gender Relations in the Andean World

 Family and gender relations in the Andean world are a complex and debated issue;

thus, explaining them is not a risk-free task. The mere geographical reference to the

territory is problematic: although the Andean region comprises all or part of the territorial