Vilcabamba is a village in the southern region of Ecuador, in the Loja province, about 45 km from the city of Loja. The etymology of the “Vilcabamba” apparently derives from the Quichua “huilco pamba.” Huilco denotes the sacred trees, Anadenanthera colubrina, that inhabit the region and pamba is a word meaning “valley.” The area has been referred to as the "Playground of the Inca" which refers to its historic use as a retreat for Incan royalty. The valley is overlooked by a mountain called Mandango, the Sleeping Inca, whose presence is said to protect the area from earthquakes and other natural disasters.
History
The region has been a colonization center for expatriates from various western nations of the Americas and Europe. Settlers from these regions have been arriving since the 1960s, beginning with the followers of Johnny Lovewisdom. Increasingly larger waves of immigrants arrived in the early 1970s, and the middle 1980s. Generally these immigrants were younger adults seeking a lifestyle apart from industrialized society. Many have made livelihoods as artisans or in the tourism industry: hostels, horse tours, restaurants, and shamanic journeys using San Pedro cactus.
Ironically, many natives of Vilcabamba have emigrated to European and North American countries to find work, with a large wave of migration beginning in 1999. Ecuadorian migration to Spain grew so rapidly during this period that Spanish law was amended to stem the flow of Ecuadorian nationals into the country. Today a major concentration of Vilcabambans is found in Madrid.
Canadian journalist Tony Burman raised the profile of Vilcabamba in the early 1970s, with a series of photos that appeared in The New York Times. The valley has experienced another surge of interest and colonization with the arrival of the publishing group International Living. This has resulted in a new wave of international settlers who are generally older and wealthier.
The village has outlawed gas stations, meaning that one must drive to neighboring Malacatos for fuel. However, people sell gasoline from barrels kept in their homes.
Reputation for Longevity
Located in a historical and scenic valley, it is a common destination for tourists, in part because it is widely believed that its inhabitants grow to a very old age. Locals assert that it is not uncommon to see a person reach 100 years of age and it is claimed that many have gotten to 120, even up to 135,[citation needed] which would make it an area with the oldest inhabitants in the world. It is often called the Valley of Longevity.
The reasons for this claimed longevity are not very clear. French studies have shown that the diet and lifestyle of the inhabitants may be a factor.[citation needed] Some claim that the inhabitants have a tendency to exaggerate their age, and this is difficult to verify because of the lack of a proper birth certificates.[citation needed] Medical researchers have confirmed that the retinas of 100 year-old residents are often comparable with those of 45 year-old city-dwellers. Others suggest that the climate in the region, which is reasonably steady without much variation, or the mineral content of its drinking water is particularly healthy and explains the advanced age of its inhabitants.[citation needed] According to The Bewildering History of the History of Longevity by Peter Laslett, "geographical variation in the incidence of long life is no doubt a reality but better general survival does not demonstrably raise the probability of extreme ages and systematic, sceptical analysis of these confidently asserted propositions has condemned them as entirely baseless." Statistical analysis of Vilcabamba's inhabitants shows that longevity there is no greater than the general population.
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