String for sale in Saquisilí, Ecuador

A woman sorts through several long strands of string in an open-air market. She is wearing a traditional Andean bowler hat and a blue and white checkered cloak. Large sacks of grain are visible in the background.Saquisilí has one of the largest daily markets in Ecuador. Everything from agricultural products to livestock to handcrafted goods can be found in Saquisilí. The active market makes the town a lively place to visit and is a popular tourist destination. Many anthropologists see the market of Saquisilí as a culturally significant because it represents a time in Ecuador's history that is increasingly hard to find. As the country becomes more industrialized and more land is becomes open to investors, traditional lifeways are beginning to disappear. By providing an arena for local craftsmen, markets like the one at Saquisilí help preserve a little bit of the country's traditions.