Ecuadorian Woman's Shoes: "Alpargatas"

The indigenous women who live in Otavalo high in the Andes Mountains north of Quito wear this traditional costume, called "churajuna" in Quechua, on a daily basis. Their attire is considered to be the closest to the Inca costume worn anywhere in the Andes Mountains.

Both men and women wear shoes called alpargata, typically made from cactus fiber. Women's alpargatas are generally black, while the men's shoes are white.

Traditional dress for the Otavalo women consists of a long dark skirt with pale underskirt, fastened with a woven belt, an embroidered white blouse with full, lacy sleeves and a shawl. Jewelry is also an important addition to the Otavalena's outfit: layers of necklaces of predominantly gold beads, and red coral bracelets are the most common form of jewelry worn by the Otavalo women. The Otavaleno consider their dress a way to outwardly express their ethnicity and Indian identity.
Source:
http://abyayala.nativeweb.org/ecuador/otavalo/culture.html http://www.ecuadortravelsite.org/otavalo_traditional_costume.html