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Vilcabamba​—Where Time Slows Down

By “Awake!” correspondent in Ecuador

THROUGHOUT history man has fought a losing battle against old age. In spite of this, people today are as eager as ever to hear about prolonging the life-span. Are you among this vast majority? Then you will be interested to hear about Vilcabamba, a mountain village of south Ecuador.

I live in Ecuador and for some time had heard reports of people of Vilcabamba who reached ages of 100, 120 and even 140 years. Could it be true? As news of this valley and its inhabitants spread to other countries, prominent people began visiting Vilcabamba. My curiosity being sufficiently aroused, I too decided to go there.

Vilcabamba and Its People

Getting to Vilcabamba from my locality requires a one-hour flight into the Andes Mountains and several hours of additional travel. As I neared my destination I noted a significant change in temperature. The cool mountain climate gave way to a mild temperate one at this lower altitude. The temperature at Vilcabamba hovers at 66 or 67 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the whole year. Naturally such a climate results in profuse vegetation. All types of greenery adorn this valley; trees cover the mountain slopes and there are crops of corn, sugarcane, bananas and legumes.

At first sight you would probably not be impressed with Vilcabamba, especially if you come from a large city. A straight, dirt road leads to the center of town. Few people move about, for most of them are out tending their farms. The houses are of a simple adobe type covered by the typical Spanish tile roof; most of them appear to have a plain dirt floor.

Let us get acquainted with the oldest inhabitant of this mountain village. His name is Arcangel Carpio, said to be 126 years old. Arcangel is a large man with European features. His face is surprisingly free of wrinkles for a man of his age. He recalls simple things, such as the days when he and his father would take long walks through the woods looking for berries and wild goats to milk.

Does a special diet account for Arcangel’s long life? Apparently not; he enjoys ordinary things like potatoes, hominy, beans, lentils and yucca. Residents of Vilcabamba also regularly eat eggs, cheese and milk, but not much meat. The life-style in Vilcabamba, as the food, is simple. The workday begins at sunup and lasts until nightfall, when each one returns home to rest.

Why Such Long Lives?

As I noted above, longevity is common at Vilcabamba. An amazing 16.4 percent of its inhabitants are over sixty years of age, while the figure is only 4.6 for the rest of rural Ecuador.

But how reliable are the ages of these people? An attendant at the museum dealing with Vilcabamba gladly showed me old church records that contained the birth dates of residents. The information, written in Spanish with an old style of handwriting, was still legible, though the records were yellowed with age. Information at the National Statistical Institute of Ecuador for the year 1971 revealed that there were then 93 persons in Vilcabamba who ranged in age from 60 to 140 years. The oldest recorded age was that of a man who reached 140 years and lived until the following year, August of 1972.

What accounts for the great ages reached by inhabitants of Vilcabamba? A number of factors are involved. One is evidently their peaceful way of life. World news headlines cause no stir here. According to one survey, only seventy-five people in the whole valley had radios. These people work hard at manual labor and their principal interest is in family life at home.

As for diet, the inhabitants of this valley have a low-calorie intake, averaging about 1,200 per day, with the highest being 1,360. They also eat fresh fruit daily. But, beyond this, their food is quite common. Smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages are moderate among the older people.

The water supply may be another factor in long life at Vilcabamba. Here the waters descend from an elevation of 9,000 feet through the Vilcabamba and Chamba Rivers until they eventually empty into the Amazon River. According to the findings of a recent U.S. geological survey, the Amazon waters are “purer than most of the tap water in the United States.” The survey also noted that “in some places the chemical purity was nearly equal to that of distilled water.”

Clean air also plays its part in longevity. Vilcabamba lies at the entrance of the Amazon jungle. One scientist estimated that 50 percent of the earth’s pure oxygen is produced by this immense forest.

Without a doubt a most important factor in the long lives of these people is heredity. The Encyclopædia Britannica comments: “Aging and life spans are influenced by genetic characteristics. . . . offspring of long-lived parents generally live longer than those of short-lived parents.” The curator of the museum confirmed this for me, noting that the records indicate that parents of the older inhabitants also lived long lives.

Even Longer Life Possible

My visit to Vilcabamba provided much food for thought. While not all people have the advantages of clean air, pure water and a steady temperate climate today, can we learn something from these humble, hardworking people? Could it be that a more tranquil life-style along with hard physical work would solve many of the health problems of today’s urbanized society?

Soon all mankind will be able to enjoy life longer than any of the residents of Vilcabamba ever lived. But not by seeking refuge in places like Vilcabamba. How then?

You will find that your copy of the Holy Bible contains the comforting promise that soon humans will live forever on earth in perfect health. The apostle John, at Revelation 21:3, 4, wrote: “I heard a loud voice from the throne say: ‘Look! The tent of God is with mankind . . . And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.’”

Does that sound appealing to you? Then you might like to know that in less time than it took to read this article you can learn the first step toward eternal life. The person who brought you this magazine, or any one of Jehovah’s witnesses, will be happy to show it to you from your own Bible. Why not ask them?