Salasaca - Settlements

The Salasaca parish is divided into sixteen sectors ( manzanas ) that are evenly populated. The road between Ambato and Banos, which was constructed in 1934, bifurcates the zone. The parish has several wide, open areas, but in the central square there is a Catholic church, an Evangelical church, a convent, a school, a post office, a medical post, a communal house, and a cooperative. There are also several saloons and boutiques, with living quarters upstairs. The traditional compound consists of three generally separate buildings, which are more or less rectangular. There is a main house with a single door, which always faces north. The other two buildings in the compound are smaller houses—one on either side of the main house. These smaller houses face the center of the compound.

Houses are of three different styles. In the past the houses were made entirely of grass, agave fibers, and bamboo sticks and had a roof touching the ground. This particular style of house is still constructed, although the skills required are rapidly disappearing, as is the grass. The second style has mud walls reinforced with bamboo and a roof of reeds and is the most common style of house in the zone. The third and most recent style uses locally produced cement blocks and corrugated iron. Although the older styles of house are said to be warmer and more resistant to earthquakes, houses of cement are considered more prestigious and are thus favored. Families have small shelters in their fields; these were originally used at night for guarding cattle from thieves but are now used mainly for cooking meals during the agricultural season.