Earn a thousand dollars for running with a bunch of bananas over the shoulder

In the banana capital, Machala, an event is held that aims to become a tradition for the patron saint festivities of Santa Rosa: running with bunches of bananas over the shoulders. 

The race with a bunch of bananas is carried out to highlight the star product of the Orenses.

The race has been officially held for 16 years, in which the winners receive prizes of USD 1,000 for first place; USD 500 for the second and USD 300 for the third.

The Provincial Banana Marathon brings together several competitors dressed as those who are going to run a couple of kilometers. The extravagant thing about this race is that each one places a bunch of 50-pound bananas on their shoulder, which is weighed at the beginning and end of the race to verify that there are no violations. The stretch they cover is two kilometres. The goal culminates in the World Banana Fair site.

It is believed that the Orense ancestors already held the tournament to entertain those who attended the popular festivals.

The event has also been developed in other cantons of the province as an idea to promote productivity and publicize the star product of the people of Orense: bananas.

Each contestant represents different haciendas from Santa Rosa, Machala, El Guabo, Pasaje and Arenillas. In the last edition, the winner representing the Rumani farm, surpassed the contender from the Tenguel farm and Guarumal 2.

The International Banana, Industrial and Commercial Fair

On September 23, 1964, the first unique international event called ” The Great Banana Fair ” was inaugurated with headquarters in the city of Machala. At the fair there are activities such as the election of the Banana King, the World Banana Queen, the Mass in honor of the Virgen de las Mercedes and the Banana Marathon that was incorporated in 2019.

Although there is no long history of the Marathon, many inhabitants already consider it a tradition, not only of the town, but of the entire province that grows and exports the fruit.

Francisco Loaiza commented to Diario Extra that “the race is a tradition and a benchmark even for culture in El Oro. It is already part of our history and ancestral legacy.”

When can an event be considered a tradition?

A tradition encompasses the customs and manifestations that the community considers valuable and an indispensable part of its identity or cultural legacy; it is something that is inherited and characteristic of a social group.