“Nadie es profeta en su tierra”: Etnografía económica de las dinámicas comerciales de los Kichwa-Otavalo en San Victorino, Bogotá

Abstract

This paper describes the economic dynamics of the Kichwa Otavalo in the commercial area of ​​San Victorino, Bogota. These dynamics are examined from New Economic Sociology (Smelser & Swedberg, 2005) and Economic Ethnography (Dufy & Weber, 2009) to show the divergent rationales that arise within the market. This leads us to discuss with orthodox economics and assumptions that handle against rationality, the market and competition. Throughout the text the importance of frames transaction (Dufy & Weber, 2009), its importance, and feasibility to understand the historical, economic and commercial dynamics that surround the San Victorino hawking hold. Furthermore we show how these same frames transaction are reflected in the commercial dynamics of this indigenous group native of Northern Ecuador. An account of its history and the types of businesses in which it turned the traditional peddling in the Colombian capital is made. The rationales of these are summarized in two types of rationalities (traditional and modernist) deriving both great achievements and major problems within the community. If, in short, it shows that economic rationality is much more complex than orthodox economic theory wants to admit. Nobody is a prophet in his own land.