The Cañari (in Kichwa: Kañari) are an indigenous ethnic group traditionally inhabiting the territory of the modern provinces of Azuay and Cañar in Ecuador.

The Cañari were loosely assimilated into the vast empire, allowed to manage their own affairs but adopting a new language for communicating with the Inca.

Initially, Huáscar's generals Atoc and Hango were successful, defeating Atahualpa's army, capturing many of his soldiers, and seizing the large cities Cajamarca and Tumebamba.

Aided by his father's loyal generals, Atahualpa managed to rout the Huáscaran army in the battles of Mullihambato and Chimborazo.

Scholars have found that the Cañari had an oral tradition of a massive flood as part of their creation stories, similar to those of the Bible and Gilgamesh.

The fortresses, which had been prepared on the highlands of Saraguro, did not help them at all because the presence of Inca troops in the valley made them know that all resistance would be useless.

The Cañari were numerous and had been for much time before silently preparing for the defense of their lands and their independence: they had celebrated a union of all the leaders and elected Dumma as chief and had, moreover, a considerable army.

The battle was, thus, intense and the Inca retreated hastily toward Saraguro, seeing that the defeat of tribes as astute as they were bellicose was not so easy as he had imagined.

Túpac Yupanqui, thus assured, began to travel toward the province of Azuay; but before entering it personally, he sent his most trusted official to arrange for dignified accommodations and to determine the resolve of the Cañari and discover any plans for treachery.

He built in the roughest location of the mountain chain a residence for the convenience of his army and subjugation, without any difficulty, of the Quillacos, who lived in the valley of Guasunos and Alausí.

Initially, Huáscar's generals Atoc and Hango were successful, defeating Atahuallpa's army and capturing many of his soldiers, including seizure of the large cities Cajamarca and Tumebamba.

Aided by his father's loyal generals, Atahuallpa managed to rout the Huáscaran army in the battles of Mullihambato and Chimborazo.

After Pizarro was killed in 1541, Cañari leader Francisco Chilche claimed to be the overlord (cacique) of much of the land of the Incan Quispiguanca estate in the Sacred Valley near Cuzco.

[5] Chilche continued to be important into the 1570s when he recruited 500 Indian soldiers to fight with the Spanish in their war against the last Inca, Tupac Amaru.

[6] The Cañari were a group or confederacy of united tribes who formed a people; they inhabited the area from the limits of Azuay to Saraguro, from the Gualaquiza mountains to the Narajal beaches and the coasts of the Jambelí canal.

Within the Cañari territory, the most important areas were Cañaribamba, Cojitambo, Chobshi, Shabalula, Molleturo, Coyoctor, Culebrillas, Yacubiñay, Guapondelig and Hatun Cañar.

Years later, Huayna Cápac returned to the north of the empire to put down the rebellion of the northern tribes, The largest known ruins of the Cañari-Inca confederation are: Of these four, Ingapirca is the best known.

[10] Its distribution is in the footprint of the original Cañari settlements, and is more prevalent in rural communities, where the distinctive pronunciation is stronger.

The contrast of thinking that its origin come from the Quechua dialect is that the presence does not extend past the provinces of Cañar and Azuay, while the Kichwa is present outside these.

The accent of Cuenca also has its presence in northwestern Argentina, and theory suggest that it could have originated from mitimaes brought by the Incas in the wars of expansion.