The first Walking Rivers event in Quito took place on May 11th, 2024, at the Machangara River Linear Park. This activity, coordinated by Monica Aguilar from Samayuio in collaboration with the Amaruna del Río group, aimed to reconnect with the Machangara River.
Machangara comes from the ancient word Machan-Kara, meaning “bowl of a heightened state of consciousness.” Historically, it was Quito’s emblematic river. Residents of historic Quito would descend to its banks to wash clothes and bodies, collect pure water, and enjoy its surroundings. The river was immortalized by Jorge Carrera Andrade in his poem “The River of My Hometown” as the “Minty Machangara” because of the plants that grew around it.
Today, it is one of the most polluted rivers in the city, almost forgotten by passersby. Its surroundings are places people fear due to high insecurity and its putrid smell. The hometown river has become Quito’s sewer.
However, some citizens are committed to restoring its waters. Among them is the Amaruna del Río Collective, which has a cultural house near one of the riverbanks. Samayuio teamed up with them to develop the first global walk for river care and conservation: Walking Rivers, created by Caminar el Agua, Ciref Fluvial, Wetlands International, and supported by Fundación Botín in Spain.
Walking Rivers 2024 featured 89 routes worldwide, marking the first time the Machangara River was put on the map. Through this initial action of the “River Network,” we aim to support the cause for its decontamination and the recovery of spaces near the river, promoting the overall health of the city and its inhabitants.
During the event, we engaged in a full-presence photography exercise to deeply reconnect with the river, guided by Monica Aguilar. The Mujeres por el Agua collective enriched the experience with scientific data on the river’s state and recovery efforts. We concluded at Casa Machankara with a screening of the documentary “Memories of Machangara” created by the collective.
Follow the activities of Amaruna del Río and Samayuio here.
