Why I Can't NOT Go to Ecuador

The beautiful Maasai women were wearing their traditional vibrant clothing: bright yellows, reds, oranges and blue danced on the fabric of their dresses and capes; hand-fashioned beaded earrings and necklaces gorgeously highlighted the deep hues of brown skin. Invited by a Maasai warrior and elder, Dickson Gisa, in 2015, to speak to his community, I found myself making a presentation centered around the work of the Weston A. Price Foundation in his remote Kenyan village. To be specific, I was in Oiti, in his home, projecting my PowerPoint deck, about living according to ancestral wisdom, on his living room wall. And the words I spoke were being translated into Maa.

I later met with many men and women and we continued the conversation. (See the pic below.) There was great interest from his tribe about returning to wise traditions. What a privilege to speak of ancestral wisdom, among a community cognizant of its value.

That year began my quest to speak of the benefits of living as our ancestors did. Previous generations have not suffered from chronic health conditions. In contrast to us today, they lived vibrant lives full of vitality, fueled by their local, traditional foods, days in the sunshine, and in close-knit community.

Since then I’ve continued exploring traditions and looking for places where they are still kept — in places like Perú, Cuba, Zimbabwe, and Australia. I travel, eager to teach. But I also go to learn. There is so much wisdom still to be explored and uncovered.

I saw myself, at first, as walking in the footsteps of Dr. Weston A. Price, the dentist/researcher who traveled the world in the 1930s, studying the diets and health of indigenous people groups worldwide. I respected his work and, of course, I wanted to see first-hand how traditional groups were faring today. But the idea of it still made me laugh — what was I, a Latina woman of Mexican and Cuban descent, doing following in the footsteps of a Canadian man who lived one hundred years ago?

It took the words of Auntie Sib, an aboriginal woman, towards the end of my month-long journey in Australia in 2019, to open my eyes to the truth: I was NOT following in the footsteps of Dr. Price. at. all.

I had just completed a brief presentation at the Ooray Plum Festival about the benefits of following indigenous wisdom. And I had told the story of my bewilderment at the journey I had embarked upon. Immediately afterward, I sat down at a table with Auntie Sib and her companion. We shared a meal inspired by traditional dishes which was nourishing on a number of levels. After a fair amount of conversation, Auntie Sib finally spoke directly and boldly to me. “You’re not following in the footsteps of Dr. Price,” she observed. “You are doing what your ancestors have called you to do.” She continued, “You’re a First Nation person. Welcome home.”

I felt a strange mix of shock and joy. Her words were both a balm to my spirit and a splash of cold water. I had always suspected that there was more to my adventuring than my conscious mind could comprehend. Now I saw the truth of it. Something deeper was driving my passion to lift up ancestral wisdom. It was a calling, not just a passing interest.

I mean, I knew I had indigenous blood — my mother’s family descends from a tribe from the northern regions of Mexico. And I also knew I felt a strong compulsion to explore and teach about ancestral wisdom. But, somehow, I hadn’t put two and two together until Auntie Sib verbalized what I had been experiencing within my spirit.

This is the main reason behind my huge “YES!” when I was invited by La Carishina to go on an ancestral health tour to Ecuador in 2020. There was no question I needed to go and continue my quest. Restrictions put a halt to the initial plans, but when things eased up in 2021, the trip was ON.

In less than two weeks, I will be witnessing the ancient Inti Raymi festival (a celebration of the sun) and other traditional indigenous ceremonies, hiking the Cotopaxi volcano, exploring traditional customs, foods, and local hot springs. I will speak about ancestral wisdom and learn about it, in practice today.

Not every piece of my trip is settled just now. I still have to finalize the outline for videos I’m shooting (to share what I learn about indigenous wisdom with the world). More funds need to be raised to back the trip and project (to cover videographer, travel, lodging, and other costs). And I really need to learn to pack light (any suggestions on this regard?!).

Nonetheless, the most important pieces are in place. Knowing now, with my conscious mind, what my spirit knew all along, I am emboldened and strengthened in purpose and commitment: to heed my calling to lift up ancestral wisdom.

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To see footage of some of the trips I mentioned, see my Holistic Hilda YouTube channel. For more on ancestral wisdom for healthy living today, listen to the Wise Traditions podcast that I host and produce.

And if you’d like to support this upcoming trip to Ecuador, just click on the button on the home page of my website: holistichilda.com. Gifts of over $50 will receive a gift and a personal note of “gracias” from me.

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This article first appeared on Medium. Hilda Labrada Gore is an ancestral health advocate, a certified health coach, and fitness professional. She is the host and producer of the Wise Traditions podcast and Tradiciones Sabias podcasts, on behalf of the Weston A. Price Foundation. She is a podcast coach, too, and the author of “Podcasting Made Simple.” She is also a YouTuber, helping people live their best lives through experts, experiences, and epic adventures. Hilda has energy to spare thanks to her ancestral health practices and her love for sunshine and liverwurst.