Yana Lema - Ecuadorian Literature

Yana Lema, full name Yana Lucila Lema Otavalo (Peguche, Otavalo canton, Ecuador, 1974) is an Ecuadorian journalist, writer, poet, translator, cultural promoter, and college professor. She writes in Spanish and Quechua. For more than seven years, she worked as a presenter on the RTS Kichwapi newscast and later on Ecuador TV’s Willaykuna newscast. In 2016, she published her story “Chaska” in Quechua and Spanish, and in 2019, her collection of poems “Tamyawan Shamukupani.” Lema has participated in fairs and literary festivals in Quito, La Paz, Havana, Guadalajara, Guayaquil, Medellín, Bogotá, Mexico, and Genoa. In 2021, her poetry book “Tengo hambre de tu boca” won the Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize. She teaches at the Central University of Ecuador.

Lemas has worked with the following indigenous organizations

Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador (CONAIE)
Ecuarunari/Confederación de Pueblos de la Nacionalidad Kichwa del Ecuador
Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas de la Amazonía Ecuatoriana (CONFENIAE)

Awards and recognitions

In the “Women, Images and Testimonies” contest in Cuenca, she received the publication award as a journalist.
At the “Third Abya Yala First Nations Film and Video Festival” she received the award in the category “Best Traditional Medicine Video”.
In 2021, her poetry book “Tengo hambre de tu boca” won the Jorge Carrera Andrade Prize.

Videos

Lucila Lema Otavalo / Poetry Festival: “Lenguas de América 2012”

2012

Yana Lucila Lema Otovalo – Kichwa Otavalo indigenous people (Ecuador)

Video-conversation with a poet from the Kichwa indigenous community. She speaks about the situation of indigenous communities in Ecuador, their languages, literature and culture and shares a traditional story from her community and some of her poetry. You can also hear how poetry sounds in Kichwa language! Uploaded to YouTube in 2020.

Works

Short stories

2016: Chaska. Quito: Santillana.

Poetry

2019: Tamyawan shamukupani (“con la lluvia respetuosamente estoy viniendo”). Ciudad de Guatemala: Tujaal Ediciones.
2021: Kampa shimita yarkachini (“Tengo hambre de tu boca”). Quito: Kinti rikra

Poetry compilations

2013: Hatun Taki: Poemas de la Madre Tierra y a los Abuelos. Quito: Ediciones Abya-Yala y Centro de Estudios sobre El Buen Vivir y Sumak Kawsay.
2016: Ñawpa pachamanta purik rimaykuna (Antiguas palabras andantes). Quito: Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Benjamín Carrión, Dirección de Publicaciones.
2016: Chawpi Pachapi Arawikuna: Nuestra propia palabra. Quito: Editorial Abya-Yala.