It’s hard to believe that a scrawny palm, Chonta Palm, with long aggressive thorns covering its entire trunk, could have such a wide variety of uses for man. In fact, since ancient times, the Chonta Palm has been important to the livelihood of indigenous peoples in the Amazon region. In Ecuador, the Chontaduro, fruit that derives from Chonta Palm, thrives in the Amazon region as well as in the province of Esmeraldas. Chontaduro is so central to Shuar culture that every year there is an important ceremony, that takes place in March and April, in which the Chonta is harvested. Chonta is not just important to the Amazon peoples; it is also used by African-Ecuadorian cultures to make the marimba, a musical instrument that resonates with rhythmic sounds in the beaches of Atacames and Súa.

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Es difícil de creer que la una palma con tantos espinos tenga tantos usos para el hombre. Desde hace milenio la Chonta a sido usada en la Amazonia y ha tenido un rol elemental en la sobré vivencia de las poblaciones locales. Encontrada en Esmeraldas y provincias de la Amazonia esta palma es identidad Ecuatoriana. La fruta, Chontaduro, es tan importante para las comunidades Shuar que en Marzo y Abril hay grandes celebraciones mientras la fruta es cosechada. Esta palma, también es usada por comunidades Afro-Ecuatorianas las cuales fabrican instrumentos musicales, como la marimba, de la madera.