Although individual ethnic identity change in the Andes is common, it usually requires geographic mobility and deception or occurs in contexts of “intermediate” ethnic groups and ill-defined ethnic boundaries. This is a detailed case study of the bi-ethnic southern Ecuadorian parish of Saraguro where transculturation from the sharply defined ethnic status ofindígena(“Indian”) to that ofblanco(white) does not require moving away or deceit, is favored by members of the dominant group (blancos), and is undertaken primarily by individuals located at the lowest socioeconomic levels ofindígenasociety. In spite of the openness of ethnic boundaries, the rate ofindígenatoblancotransculturation has been low and is now decreasing further.