It has long been a tradition of Indigenous Kichwa Otavaleños from northern Ecuador to venture far and wide, sell their crafts, and share their culture and music with the world. Our family is driven by this tradition, the first members of which arrived in Canada in the early 1990s and formed the music group Sisa Pacari. During this time and ever since, they have sold handmade arts and crafts at many powwows, festivals, and concerts.

Much has evolved since then and Andes Arts, our family-owned retail business in Ottawa, is the result. We continue to promote this tradition of quality craftsmanship, producing the fine woven textiles and wool items that the Andes are so well known for.

We have focused on buying the products we offer from local artisans and fair-trade cooperatives. All of them have skills that have been passed down from generations.

As our reputation grows, we have also started offering our customers handcrafted items from other countries whose artisans also reflect their traditions and cultures.