Memories and identity in Manabí: The history of Los Tauras and the Montuvio people

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of institutional violence and the actions of Los Tauras on the memory and social structure of the Montuvio communities of Manabí, Ecuador, between the 1930s and the 1960s. A qualitative research design was employed, grounded in oral history and supported by narrative, ethnographic, and hermeneutic approaches. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and sociodemographic questionnaires administered to eight purposively selected participants. The testimonies were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the criminalization of the peasant economy fostered the emergence of clandestine activities and armed groups such as Los Tauras. Furthermore, they reveal that violence perpetrated both by these groups and by state intervention caused profound social disruption, reinforced mechanisms of parallel justice, and left a collective memory characterized by silence and resilience. The study concludes that rural violence was rooted in structural factors associated with state neglect and the criminalization of peasant subsistence practices. Oral history made it possible to recover marginalized memories and to highlight their significance for understanding Montuvio identity and strengthening educational initiatives and historical memory preservation.