Baltazar Ushca, “the last ice maker” of the Chimborazo volcano, dies in Ecuador

() – Baltazar Ushca, better known as “the last ice maker of Chimborazo,” died at the age of 80 after suffering an accident on the property where he lived in the community of Guano, the municipality of the Guano canton, in the province of Chimborazo, reported this Friday. the south center of Ecuador.

Ushca aroused interest inside and outside Ecuador for its curious activity of extracting blocks of ice from the heights of the snow-capped Chimborazo volcano to sell them in the markets of Riobamba, where it is used in the production of natural juices.

“Unfortunately in that hustle and bustle, one of his little animals (bull) surpassed him in strength and knocked him to the ground; causing a severe injury,” the municipality wrote on its official social media accounts hours before Ushca’s death.

is attempting to contact Ushca’s family. He has also consulted the mayor of Riobamba to find out more details and is waiting for a response.

Ushca, who worked in the municipality of Guano, was treated by local doctors and rushed to a hospital in the city of Riobamba where he died, the municipality reported.

“With deep regret, we announce the sensitive death of our beloved Mashi, Taita Baltazar Ushca, the last smell of the majestic Chimborazo, a national and international icon whose work and legacy will endure in the collective memory of our land and beyond,” lamented the Municipality. of Guano.

“His dedication and history have inspired generations, making him a symbol of resistance, resilience, culture and love for our traditions,” added the Municipality of Guano.

In 2012, an Ecuadorian-American documentary about Ushca’s life and her activity collecting ice from Chimborazo premiered in New York. Ushca traveled to New York for the premiere. The audiovisual piece was played at several international film and audiovisual production festivals.

The New York Times reproduced the documentary and in its review highlighted how Baltazar Ushca managed to gather 40 ice makers from the area, but over time he was the only one left in charge of collecting ice from Chimborazo at more than 5,000 meters high on a volcano. 6,263 meters above sea level, the highest volcano in Ecuador and the highest in the Northern Andes, according to the Geophysical Institute of Ecuador. It is also the point on Earth closest to the Sun.

“Watching Baltazar work is like traveling back in time. Using only his hands and a pickaxe, he performs a task that would have been identical hundreds of years ago; However, the mountain’s need for ice became obsolete with the advent of refrigeration,” Sandy Patch reviewed in April 2015 in the New York Times about the documentary.

In 2017, Ecuador’s Ministry of Education recognized Ushca with an Honoris Causa doctorate from the Latin American Technological Leadership Institute of Mexico for his contribution to society.

Ushca was honored for keeping alive the work of collecting ice blocks from the slopes of the Chimborazo volcano, an activity that – according to the Ministry – was extinct in Ecuador. Ushca also joined the Government’s literacy campaign.

Several citizens and institutions have expressed their condolences and have lamented the loss of Baltazar Ushca who was considered “Ecuador’s living heritage.”