Chiloé Archipelago
Encyclopedia
Chiloé Archipelago consists of several islands lying off the coast of Chile
. It is separated from mainland Chile by Chacao Channel
in the north, the Sea of Chiloé
in the east and Gulf of Corcovado
to the southeast. All of the archipelago except Desertores Islands
, which are part of Palena Province
, forms the province of Chiloé. The main island is Chiloé Island
(Isla Grande de Chiloé). Chiloé is widely known for its distinctive folklore, mythology, cuisine
and unique architecture. The variety of potato
which is most widely grown throughout the world is indigenous to the islands.
is Ancud. Chiloé province is part of the Los Lagos Region
(Región de los Lagos), which mainly includes the Chilean lakes region on the mainland north of Chiloé. The administrative center of the region is Puerto Montt
.
8,394 km² big Chiloé Island
is by far the largest island in the archipelago. Chiloé Island is roughly rectangular with its long axis oriented from north to south. To the east of Chiloé Island lies the Sea of Chiloé
which host most of the other islands in the archipelago. The Sea of Chiloé is a marginal sea
separating Chiloé Island from Palena Province
(also called Continental Chiloé). The principal islands in the sea of Chiloé are Quinchao
, Lemuy
Tranqui
and Desertores Islands
. Chiloé Island is separated from the Chilean mainland by the 2 km narrow Chacao Channel
in the north. To the northeast and southeast of the archipelago lies the Gulf of Ancud
and the Gulf of Corcovado
respectively. The former one is part of the Sea of Chiloé. Some 40 km southwest of Chiloé Island lies Guafo Island
, the southernmost island of the archipelago.
Most of the good harbours are located in the north and eastern shore of Chiloé Island. The eastern shore has a series of peninsulas and inlets, notably Estero de Castro
where the capital Castro
is located. The western part of Chiloé Island as well as the whole Guafo Island are hilly and are covered by forests. In Chiloé Island the hills are subdivided in two north-south ranges separated by the lakes Cucao and Huillinco
. The ranges are Piuchén
and Pirulil
. Their, and the archipelago's highest point does not exceed 800 meters. Depressions in the western forest are occupied by numerous small lakes and bogs scattered across the landscape.
and a large variety of vegetal species, including moss
es and fern
s. The western half, as well as the southern half of the island are still largely covered by the native forest. Notable species of the forests include arrayán (Luma apiculata
), roble (Nothofagus dombeyi), quila (Chusquea quila
), Chilean rhubarb and the avellano (Gevuina avellana
). Fitzroya cupressoides and tepú (Tepualia stipularis) grows in the poorly drained soil
s of the Piuchén
and Pirulil Range
s.
The arrival of agriculture in pre-Hispanic times gave origin the patchy of landscape pastures and farms landscape that dominates the eastern and northern coast of Chiloé Island. Some native plants like Gevuina avellana
and Fascicularia bicolor
have edible seeds, and yet other like the Chilean rhubarb edible stems. The most notable edible plant native to Chiloé are the potatoes of Chiloé
.
The native fauna include many birds of which some few are endemic to the archipelago. Among land mammals the largest one is Darwin's Fox
and the Pudú
, a small deer. Marine mammals include Commerson's dolphin
s and South American Sea Lion
s that forms colonies at rock outcrops close to the sea. Different species of whales have been sighted around the island, notably Blue whale
s.
located less than 50 km to north of the main island. Chiloé's first ethnically identifiable inhabitants are believed to be the Chono
s, a sea-faring nomadic people. Later, about hundred years before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Huilliche
(a branch of the Mapuche
) came from the mainland and settled on the eastern shore, practicing agriculture and fishing.
by Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
, who was exploring and claiming the southern part of Chile and many neighbouring islands. Captain Gamboa established a settlement at Castro in 1567, which later became the seat of a Jesuit mission, and was capital of the province until the founding of Ancud in 1768.
During the first years of the colony the spiritual labour was carried out by Mercedarians and Franciscans. The first Jesuits arrived in 1608 and founded in 1612 the first church in Castro
. Because of the scattered population living in different islands the Jesuits established a circular Mission system with numerous chapel
s and churches. By 1767 when the Society of Jesus was suppressed there were 79 chapels. From 1771 onwards the Franciscan
s took over the functions of the Jesuits in Chiloé.
Ancud
was made capital of the Chiloé in 1767. A few years later in 1784 Chiloé Island was made a direct dependency of the colonial viceroyalty of Peru
as consequence of the Bourbon reforms, while continental Chile was a captaincy-general within the viceroyalty. The shift of capital and on administration dependency corresponded to a new strategic view on Chiloé Archipelago. While initially Chiloé was viewed by Spaniards as a colony rich enough to conquer, it later became a problematic region due to its isolation from mainland Chile due to geography and the War of Arauco in the mainland. Chiloé Island was largely exempt from the turmoil that affected the Chilean mainland due to conflicts with Huilliches and Mapuches, but was notably affected in 1720 by a large Huilliche
rebellion.
During colonial times Chiloé served as base for a series of explorations towards the interior of Patagonia as well as to its channels. The Jesuit Nicolás Mascardi
crossed the Andes trough Vuriloche Pass and set up a mission in the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake
in 1670. The Jesuits established in Chiloé bought Chono
s from islands south of Chiloé to settle in the archipelago, which led to an aculturization and fusion with into the Spanish-Huilliche
culture of the island.
(Old Republic), and its population rather than conspiring to overthrow the local Spanish administration gave it wide support. From 1812 and on, men from Chiloé would be enlisted as soldiers and sent to fight in Chile, Bolivia and Peru for the royalist cause. In December 1817 the island became the last stronghold of Spanish royalists (together with Valdivia
) fleeing from the Chilean mainland. A Chilean expedition led by Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
disembarked 60 men under command of William Miller but failed to conquer it after the small but disastrous Battle of Agüi
. Another unsuccessful conquest attempt occurred in in 1824 when Jorge Beauchef
, who had disembarked in Chiloé Island, was ambushed at the Battle of Mocopulli
. Only on 15 January 1826 did the Spanish forces of Antonio de Quintanilla negotiated a surrender to a new military expedition led by Ramon Freire, and the island was fully incorporated into the independent Republic of Chile, although Spain did not recognize it until 1844.
The last Spanish military governors were:
visited Chiloé during the summer of 1834–1835, writing about his impressions of southern Chile in his diaries
. As an old royalist stronghold the inhabitants of the archipelago were known during the 19th century for complaining about not having a king. Charles Darwin
wrote about his visit to Chiloé in 1834: The Indians ended all their complaints by saying, "And it is only because we are poor Indians, and know nothing; but it was not so when we had a King."
As Chiloé had been a defensive stronghold during colonial times, the Republic of Chile used Chiloé as a starting point for its territorial expansion into the southern territories. The expedition to the Straits of Magellan, that founded Fuerte Bulnes
in 1843, was assembled in Chiloé. In the 1850s Chiloé was again instrumental in the logistical support of the colonization of the Llanquihue Lake, where German settlers were given land. The last major portion of Patagonia to be incorporated into Chile, Aysén was also explored and settled from Chiloé. In the colonization process of Patagonia, Chilotes immigrants constituted a large part of the work force of the livestock enterprises that were established in Patagonia between 1890 and 1950.
During the late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century Chiloé lost economic and political importance to Puerto Montt
on the mainland, so that by 1863 Puerto Montt was made capital of its own province and in 1927 the Chiloé Archipelago was incorporated into a new province headed by Puerto Montt.
The cathedral in Ancud was totally destroyed and Castro was badly damaged by the Great Chilean Earthquake
of 1960, widely considered to be the most powerful ever recorded. In 1982, the provincial capital, after over 200 years, was returned to Castro.
and southern Chile in the 19th century cultural elements of Chiloé spread to that zones as many chilotes migrated and settled there.
Chilotan architecture is a unique architectural style that is mainly restricted to Chiloe Island
and nearby areas. In part because of its physical isolation from the rest of Chile, and access to different materials, Chiloé has a very special architecture that differs most greatly from the typical Spanish colonial architecture. The Spanish who arrived in the 16th century, and Jesuit missionaries who followed, constructed hundreds of small wooden churches
in an attempt to bring Christianity
to a pagan land; the result was a mixing of Catholicism
and pagan beliefs. These unique buildings have been designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
Nearly all the houses and buildings in colonial Chiloe were built with wood, and wood shingle
s were extensively employed. Roof shingles of Fitzroya
came to be used as money and called "Real
de Alerce". In the late 19th century many palafito
s (stilt house
s) were built in cities like Castro
and Chonchi
.
of Spanish language
spoken on Chiloé Archipelago. It has distinct differences from standard Chilean Spanish in accent, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, especially influenced by the Huilliche
variant of Mapudungun
.
The cuisine of Chiloé has its origin in pre-Hispanic traditions among native Chono
s and Huilliche
s. Typical features of Chilote cuisine include earth oven
and asado
barbecues. Chilote cuisine makes extensive use fish, shellfish
and potatoes of which there are plenty of varieties growing in the archipelago's different islands. Lamb is considered the most appreciated meat and is eaten and prepared as an asado
, specially around Christmas and new year. Apple chicha
is a common alcoholic beverage. Other typical alcoholic beverages are murtado
and licor de oro
liqueurs. Common dishes include curanto
, paila marina
and pulmay.
, the Trauco
, the Pincoya
, the Invunche
, etc.). Chilota mythology is based on a mixture of indigenous religions (the Chono
s and Huilliche
s) that live in the Archipelago of Chiloé, and the legends and superstitions brought by the Spanish Conquistador
es, who in 1567 began the process of conquest in Chiloé and with it the fusion of elements that would form a separate mythology. Chilota mythology flourished, isolated from other beliefs and myths in Chile, due to the separation of the archipelago from the rest of the Spanish occupation in Chile, when the Mapuche
s occupied or destroyed by all the Spanish settlements between the Bío-Bío River
and the Chacao
channel following the disaster of Curalaba
in 1598.
According to Chilotan mythology the origin of the archipelago lies in a fierce battle between two serpents, Ten Ten-Vilu
(ten="earth", vilu="snake") and Coi Coi-Vilu
(Co="water", vilu="snake").
The population of the province with its ten municipalities
according to the 2002 census
was 154,775; of this, 44% lived in rural areas, according to the National Statistics Institute
(INE). Chiloé's people are known as Chilotes.
Salmon aquaculture
, tourism, agriculture and timber are the mainstays of the island economy.
In order to overcome the cultural and organizational barriers that keep suppliers of living cultural heritage and tour operators apart, the Chiloé diocese of Ancud established a private foundation called "Fundación con Todos" (One for All Foundation). Among other activities, the Foundation has played a key role in helping a number of Chilote households organize themselves into an "agrotourism" network. The Foundation helped Chilote households make the preparation required to accommodate tourists (including training in sanitation and maintenance of facilities, the provision of basic infrastructure) and complemented this effort with a professional marketing campaign. These works were undertaken with the financial support of other agencies.
Again, in cooperation with the EOMF and the Chiloé Model Forest, a cultural and natural heritage tour was organized to Argentina and Chile, including a three-day visit to Chiloé, permitting some of the Chilote households to host a group of cultural heritage tourists for the first time. The visits were very successful and should be the first of more to come, helping establish the credibility of Chiloé's agrotourism network among other tour operators.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. It is separated from mainland Chile by Chacao Channel
Chacao Channel
The Chacao Channel is located in Los Lagos Region, Chile and separates Chiloé Island from mainland Chile. The channel was created during the Quaternary glaciations by successive glaciers that flowed down fron the Andes to the coast...
in the north, the Sea of Chiloé
Sea of Chiloé
thumb|right|250px|Map of the Sea of Chiloé, located between [[Chiloé Island]] and [[Palena Province|Continental Chiloé]]The sea of Chiloé is a marginal sea of the coast of Chile that is separated from the Pacific Ocean by Chiloé Island...
in the east and Gulf of Corcovado
Gulf of Corcovado
Gulf of Corcovado is a large body of water separating the Chiloé Island from the mainland of Chile. Geologically it is a foreland basin that has been carved out by Quaternary glaciers. A large population of blue whales is found there, and it is under threat from salmon farming....
to the southeast. All of the archipelago except Desertores Islands
Desertores Islands
Desertores Islands are a group of six islands in the Sea of Chiloé, between Chiloé Island and the Chilean mainland. The islands are considered to belong to Chiloé Archipelago although they are administered as part of Palena Province instead of Chiloé Province...
, which are part of Palena Province
Palena Province
Palena Province is one of the four provinces in the southern Chilean region of Los Lagos . Due to the eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the subsequent destruction of Chaitén, Futaleufú is since March 2009 the new capital of Palena Province. The private Pumalín Park is located in the province as is...
, forms the province of Chiloé. The main island is Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
(Isla Grande de Chiloé). Chiloé is widely known for its distinctive folklore, mythology, cuisine
Cuisine of Chiloé
thumb|200px|right|Picture of a [[Curanto a la hoya]]The cuisne of Chiloé is a distinct form of cuisne from Chiloé Archipelago. The current cuisne of Chiloé emerged from the fusion of Chiloé's indigenous Chono cuisine with the one of Huilliche and Spanish invaders...
and unique architecture. The variety of potato
Potatoes of Chiloé
thumb|175px|A selection of Chiloé's ~400 native varieties of potatoes.thumb|Guadachos varietythumb|Michuñe Blanca varietythumb|Michuñe Roja variety...
which is most widely grown throughout the world is indigenous to the islands.
Geography
The province of Chiloé includes all the Chiloé Archipelago except the Grupo Desertores islands, plus the Isla Guafo. The area of Chiloé province is 9181 km² (3546 sq mi). The administrative center of the province is Castro, while the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic bishopricDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
is Ancud. Chiloé province is part of the Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country's second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.Its capital is Puerto Montt;...
(Región de los Lagos), which mainly includes the Chilean lakes region on the mainland north of Chiloé. The administrative center of the region is Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
.
8,394 km² big Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
is by far the largest island in the archipelago. Chiloé Island is roughly rectangular with its long axis oriented from north to south. To the east of Chiloé Island lies the Sea of Chiloé
Sea of Chiloé
thumb|right|250px|Map of the Sea of Chiloé, located between [[Chiloé Island]] and [[Palena Province|Continental Chiloé]]The sea of Chiloé is a marginal sea of the coast of Chile that is separated from the Pacific Ocean by Chiloé Island...
which host most of the other islands in the archipelago. The Sea of Chiloé is a marginal sea
Marginal sea
The term marginal sea has differing meanings. In one sense the term is equivalent to territorial waters. In another sense the term indicates a partially enclosed sea adjacent to or widely open to the open ocean, but bounded by submarine ridges...
separating Chiloé Island from Palena Province
Palena Province
Palena Province is one of the four provinces in the southern Chilean region of Los Lagos . Due to the eruption of Chaitén Volcano and the subsequent destruction of Chaitén, Futaleufú is since March 2009 the new capital of Palena Province. The private Pumalín Park is located in the province as is...
(also called Continental Chiloé). The principal islands in the sea of Chiloé are Quinchao
Quinchao Island
Quinchao Island is an island in Chiloé Province, Chile, off the east coast of Chiloé Island. It has an area of 135 km2 and a population of ca 12,000. It includes the communes of Quinchao and Curaco de Vélez. Main towns are Achao and Curaco de Vélez. Quinchao Island is separated from Chiloé...
, Lemuy
Lemuy Island
Lemuy Island is an island in Chiloé Archipelago, Chile, off the eastern coast of Chiloé Island. It has an area of 97 km2 and a population of 4,125 . It is coterminous with the commune of Puqueldón....
Tranqui
Tranqui Island
Tranqui is an island of the Chiloé Archipelago shaped like a pencil. It is part of the district of Queilén. It has three sectors: San Jose, Tranqui Nepué and Sentinel, all with small populations. In a significant part of its forest area still has not been touched by subsistence agriculture which...
and Desertores Islands
Desertores Islands
Desertores Islands are a group of six islands in the Sea of Chiloé, between Chiloé Island and the Chilean mainland. The islands are considered to belong to Chiloé Archipelago although they are administered as part of Palena Province instead of Chiloé Province...
. Chiloé Island is separated from the Chilean mainland by the 2 km narrow Chacao Channel
Chacao Channel
The Chacao Channel is located in Los Lagos Region, Chile and separates Chiloé Island from mainland Chile. The channel was created during the Quaternary glaciations by successive glaciers that flowed down fron the Andes to the coast...
in the north. To the northeast and southeast of the archipelago lies the Gulf of Ancud
Gulf of Ancud
Gulf of Ancud is a large body of water separating the Chiloé Island from the mainland of Chile. It is located at .-External links:*...
and the Gulf of Corcovado
Gulf of Corcovado
Gulf of Corcovado is a large body of water separating the Chiloé Island from the mainland of Chile. Geologically it is a foreland basin that has been carved out by Quaternary glaciers. A large population of blue whales is found there, and it is under threat from salmon farming....
respectively. The former one is part of the Sea of Chiloé. Some 40 km southwest of Chiloé Island lies Guafo Island
Guafo Island
Guafo Island is an island located southwest of Chiloé Island and northwest of Chonos Archipelago, Chile. The island has a permanent population of only 4 Navy officers in a lighthouse that is run by the Chilean Navy. This island has some of timber estimated in 2000 to be worth $21 million USD....
, the southernmost island of the archipelago.
Most of the good harbours are located in the north and eastern shore of Chiloé Island. The eastern shore has a series of peninsulas and inlets, notably Estero de Castro
Estero de Castro
Estero de Castro is a 20 km long inlet of the Sea of Chiloé into Chiloé Island. Castro, the capital of Chiloé Province is located on its western shores....
where the capital Castro
Castro, Chile
Castro is a city and commune in the Chilean island of Chiloé Island. Castro is the capital of the Chiloé Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is Chile's third oldest city in continued existence...
is located. The western part of Chiloé Island as well as the whole Guafo Island are hilly and are covered by forests. In Chiloé Island the hills are subdivided in two north-south ranges separated by the lakes Cucao and Huillinco
Cucao and Huillinco
Cucao and Huillinco are two lakes in central Chiloé Island, Chile, linked by a strait forming one hydrologic lake. The two lakes are orinted in west-east fashion cutting of the Chilean Coast Range in Chiloé Island into two ranges; Piuchén to north and Pirulil to the south...
. The ranges are Piuchén
Piuchén Range
Piuchén Range is one of the two mountain range located in Chiloé Island, southern Chile. It is located along the Pacific coast and forms part of the larger Chilean Coast Range. It northern boundary is the Chacao Channel while to the south it is separated from the Pirulil Range by Cucao Lake.-See...
and Pirulil
Pirulil Range
The Pirulil Range is a mountain range located in the southern half of Chiloé Island. It is located along the Pacific coast and forms part of the larger Chilean Coast Range. It northern boundary is the Cucao Lake, beyond of which the Piuchén Range rises. To the south the range ends at Corcovado...
. Their, and the archipelago's highest point does not exceed 800 meters. Depressions in the western forest are occupied by numerous small lakes and bogs scattered across the landscape.
Flora and Fauna
The archipelago's original vegetation is Valdivian temperate rainforest, a forest with a dense understoryUnderstory
Understory is the term for the area of a forest which grows at the lowest height level below the forest canopy. Plants in the understory consist of a mixture of seedlings and saplings of canopy trees together with understory shrubs and herbs...
and a large variety of vegetal species, including moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. The western half, as well as the southern half of the island are still largely covered by the native forest. Notable species of the forests include arrayán (Luma apiculata
Luma apiculata
Luma apiculata, is a species of tree in the genus Luma in the family Myrtaceae, native to the central Andes mountains between Chile and Argentina between 33 and 45° South Latitude. Synonyms include Myrtus luma Mol., Eugenia apiculata DC., Myrceugenia apiculata Niedenzu, and Myrceugenella...
), roble (Nothofagus dombeyi), quila (Chusquea quila
Chusquea quila
Chusquea quila is a perennial bamboo that grows in the humid temperate forests of Chile and Argentina.In contrast to most bamboos, it grows as a dense, climbing or decumbent shrub. Its aerial culms are solid, unlike most bamboos, which have hollow culms...
), Chilean rhubarb and the avellano (Gevuina avellana
Gevuina avellana
Gevuina avellana is an evergreen tree of the family Proteaceae, up to 20 meters tall. It is native to southern Chile and adjacent valleys in Argentina. It is found from sea level to 700 meters above sea level. Its distribution extends from 35° to 44° south latitude...
). Fitzroya cupressoides and tepú (Tepualia stipularis) grows in the poorly drained soil
Histosol
In both the FAO soil classification and the USA soil taxonomy, a histosol is a soil consisting primarily of organic materials. They are defined as having or more of organic soil material in the upper . Organic soil material has an organic carbon content of 12 to 18 percent, or more, depending on...
s of the Piuchén
Piuchén Range
Piuchén Range is one of the two mountain range located in Chiloé Island, southern Chile. It is located along the Pacific coast and forms part of the larger Chilean Coast Range. It northern boundary is the Chacao Channel while to the south it is separated from the Pirulil Range by Cucao Lake.-See...
and Pirulil Range
Pirulil Range
The Pirulil Range is a mountain range located in the southern half of Chiloé Island. It is located along the Pacific coast and forms part of the larger Chilean Coast Range. It northern boundary is the Cucao Lake, beyond of which the Piuchén Range rises. To the south the range ends at Corcovado...
s.
Gevuina avellana
Gevuina avellana is an evergreen tree of the family Proteaceae, up to 20 meters tall. It is native to southern Chile and adjacent valleys in Argentina. It is found from sea level to 700 meters above sea level. Its distribution extends from 35° to 44° south latitude...
and Fascicularia bicolor
Fascicularia bicolor
Fascicularia bicolor is a species of the genus Fascicularia. This species is endemic to Chile.-References:*...
have edible seeds, and yet other like the Chilean rhubarb edible stems. The most notable edible plant native to Chiloé are the potatoes of Chiloé
Potatoes of Chiloé
thumb|175px|A selection of Chiloé's ~400 native varieties of potatoes.thumb|Guadachos varietythumb|Michuñe Blanca varietythumb|Michuñe Roja variety...
.
The native fauna include many birds of which some few are endemic to the archipelago. Among land mammals the largest one is Darwin's Fox
Darwin's Fox
Darwin's fox or Darwin's Zorro is a small Critically endangered canine from the genus Lycalopex. It is also known as the Zorro Chilote or Zorro de Darwin in Spanish and lives on Chiloé Island and Nahuelbuta National Park in mainland Chile .Darwin's fox was first collected from San Pedro Island off...
and the Pudú
Pudú
The pudús are two species of South American deer from the genus Pudu; the world's smallest deer. The name is a loanword from Mapudungun the language of the indigenous Mapuche people of southern Chile...
, a small deer. Marine mammals include Commerson's dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin
Commerson's Dolphin is one of four dolphins in the Cephalorhynchus genus. The species has also the common names Skunk Dolphin, Piebald Dolphin and Panda Dolphin...
s and South American Sea Lion
South American Sea Lion
The South American sea lion , also called the southern sea lion and the Patagonian sea lion, is a sea lion found on the Chilean, Peruvian, Uruguayan, Argentine and Southern Brazilian coasts. It is the only member of the genus Otaria...
s that forms colonies at rock outcrops close to the sea. Different species of whales have been sighted around the island, notably Blue whale
Blue Whale
The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales . At in length and or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed....
s.
History
Chiloé Archipelago may very well have been populated since 12,000 – 11,800 B.C according to archaeological discoveries in Monte VerdeMonte Verde
Monte Verde is an archaeological site in southern Chile, located in the northern Patagonia near Puerto Montt, Chile, which has been dated to 14,800 years BP . This dating adds to the evidence showing that settlement in the Americas pre-dates the Clovis culture by roughly 1000 years...
located less than 50 km to north of the main island. Chiloé's first ethnically identifiable inhabitants are believed to be the Chono
Chono
Chono or Chona is a generic name for a nomadic, indigenous people of the Chiloé Archipelago, Chile. They are now extinct.The Chono became extinct during the 18th century with the last survivor going missing in 1875....
s, a sea-faring nomadic people. Later, about hundred years before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
(a branch of the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
) came from the mainland and settled on the eastern shore, practicing agriculture and fishing.
Spanish colony (1567-1810)
In 1567 the island was first claimed for SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
by Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
Martín Ruiz de Gamboa de Berriz was a Spanish Basque conquistador, and served as a Royal Governor of Chile.-Early years:He was born in Durango, Biscay, the son of Andrés Ruiz de Gamboa and Nafarra de Berriz, and served as a youth in the royal navy in the Levant...
, who was exploring and claiming the southern part of Chile and many neighbouring islands. Captain Gamboa established a settlement at Castro in 1567, which later became the seat of a Jesuit mission, and was capital of the province until the founding of Ancud in 1768.
During the first years of the colony the spiritual labour was carried out by Mercedarians and Franciscans. The first Jesuits arrived in 1608 and founded in 1612 the first church in Castro
Castro, Chile
Castro is a city and commune in the Chilean island of Chiloé Island. Castro is the capital of the Chiloé Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is Chile's third oldest city in continued existence...
. Because of the scattered population living in different islands the Jesuits established a circular Mission system with numerous chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s and churches. By 1767 when the Society of Jesus was suppressed there were 79 chapels. From 1771 onwards the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
s took over the functions of the Jesuits in Chiloé.
Ancud
Ancud
Ancud is a city in southern Chile located in the northernmost part of the island and province of Chiloé, in Los Lagos Region .-Geography:...
was made capital of the Chiloé in 1767. A few years later in 1784 Chiloé Island was made a direct dependency of the colonial viceroyalty of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
as consequence of the Bourbon reforms, while continental Chile was a captaincy-general within the viceroyalty. The shift of capital and on administration dependency corresponded to a new strategic view on Chiloé Archipelago. While initially Chiloé was viewed by Spaniards as a colony rich enough to conquer, it later became a problematic region due to its isolation from mainland Chile due to geography and the War of Arauco in the mainland. Chiloé Island was largely exempt from the turmoil that affected the Chilean mainland due to conflicts with Huilliches and Mapuches, but was notably affected in 1720 by a large Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
rebellion.
During colonial times Chiloé served as base for a series of explorations towards the interior of Patagonia as well as to its channels. The Jesuit Nicolás Mascardi
Nicolás Mascardi
Nicolás Mascardi was an Italian jesuit priest and missioner in South America in the 17th century. He arrived to Chile in 1651. In 1669 he crossed the Andes from Chiloé Archipelago and did notably established a mission in the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake which lasted until his death...
crossed the Andes trough Vuriloche Pass and set up a mission in the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake
Nahuel Huapi Lake
Nahuel Huapi Lake is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The lake depression consists of several glacial valleys carved out along faults and Miocene valleys that were later dammed by moraines.Nahuel Huapi lake, located...
in 1670. The Jesuits established in Chiloé bought Chono
Chono
Chono or Chona is a generic name for a nomadic, indigenous people of the Chiloé Archipelago, Chile. They are now extinct.The Chono became extinct during the 18th century with the last survivor going missing in 1875....
s from islands south of Chiloé to settle in the archipelago, which led to an aculturization and fusion with into the Spanish-Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
culture of the island.
Royalist stronghold (1810–1826)
Unlike the central region of Chile where a long war of independence resumed after a Spanish reoccupation, Chiloé never joined the Patria ViejaPatria Vieja
Patria Vieja refers to a time period in the History of Chile occurring between the First Junta of the Government and the Disaster of Rancagua . This period was characterized by the transformation from a movement of temporary autonomy to one of total independence...
(Old Republic), and its population rather than conspiring to overthrow the local Spanish administration gave it wide support. From 1812 and on, men from Chiloé would be enlisted as soldiers and sent to fight in Chile, Bolivia and Peru for the royalist cause. In December 1817 the island became the last stronghold of Spanish royalists (together with Valdivia
Valdivia, Chile
Valdivia is a city and commune in southern Chile administered by the Municipality of Valdivia. The city is named after its founder Pedro de Valdivia and is located at the confluence of the Calle-Calle, Valdivia and Cau-Cau Rivers, approximately east of the coastal towns of Corral and Niebla...
) fleeing from the Chilean mainland. A Chilean expedition led by Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
disembarked 60 men under command of William Miller but failed to conquer it after the small but disastrous Battle of Agüi
Battle of Agüi
The Battle of Agüi was fought at Fort Agüi, near Ancud, Chiloé on February 18, 1820 between Chilean patriots and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence. After the successful capture of Valdivia Lord Cochrane sought to occupy the Chiloé Archipelago which was the last stronghold of...
. Another unsuccessful conquest attempt occurred in in 1824 when Jorge Beauchef
Jorge Beauchef
Jorge Beuchef was a French military who participated in the Napoleonic Wars and later on in the Chilean Independence War....
, who had disembarked in Chiloé Island, was ambushed at the Battle of Mocopulli
Battle of Mocopulli
The Battle of Mocopulli was fought on April 1 of 1824 as the culmination of a Chilean patriots invasion plan against royalist Chiloé...
. Only on 15 January 1826 did the Spanish forces of Antonio de Quintanilla negotiated a surrender to a new military expedition led by Ramon Freire, and the island was fully incorporated into the independent Republic of Chile, although Spain did not recognize it until 1844.
The last Spanish military governors were:
- Mariano OsorioMariano OsorioMariano de Osorio was a Spanish general and Governor of Chile, from 1814 to 1815.-Early career:Osorio was born in Seville, Spain. He joined the Spanish army and as many of his contemporaries, his military career began during the Spanish Peninsular War in 1808 as an artillery general, as well as...
December 1817–1818 - Antonio de Quintanilla 1818 – 15 January 1826
Chilean republic (1826-1982)
Charles DarwinCharles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
visited Chiloé during the summer of 1834–1835, writing about his impressions of southern Chile in his diaries
The Voyage of the Beagle
The Voyage of the Beagle is a title commonly given to the book written by Charles Darwin and published in 1839 as his Journal and Remarks, bringing him considerable fame and respect...
. As an old royalist stronghold the inhabitants of the archipelago were known during the 19th century for complaining about not having a king. Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
wrote about his visit to Chiloé in 1834: The Indians ended all their complaints by saying, "And it is only because we are poor Indians, and know nothing; but it was not so when we had a King."
As Chiloé had been a defensive stronghold during colonial times, the Republic of Chile used Chiloé as a starting point for its territorial expansion into the southern territories. The expedition to the Straits of Magellan, that founded Fuerte Bulnes
Fuerte Bulnes
Fuerte Bulnes is a Chilean fort located by the Strait of Magellan, 62 km south of Punta Arenas. It was founded in 1843 over a rocky hill at Punta Santa Ana, under the command of President Manuel Bulnes Prieto....
in 1843, was assembled in Chiloé. In the 1850s Chiloé was again instrumental in the logistical support of the colonization of the Llanquihue Lake, where German settlers were given land. The last major portion of Patagonia to be incorporated into Chile, Aysén was also explored and settled from Chiloé. In the colonization process of Patagonia, Chilotes immigrants constituted a large part of the work force of the livestock enterprises that were established in Patagonia between 1890 and 1950.
During the late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century Chiloé lost economic and political importance to Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt
Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago...
on the mainland, so that by 1863 Puerto Montt was made capital of its own province and in 1927 the Chiloé Archipelago was incorporated into a new province headed by Puerto Montt.
The cathedral in Ancud was totally destroyed and Castro was badly damaged by the Great Chilean Earthquake
Great Chilean Earthquake
The 1960 Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean Earthquake of Sunday, 22 May 1960 is to date the most powerful earthquake ever recorded on Earth, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale...
of 1960, widely considered to be the most powerful ever recorded. In 1982, the provincial capital, after over 200 years, was returned to Castro.
Culture
In part because of its physical isolation from the rest of Chile, Chiloé has a very special architecture and local culture. During the colonization of PatagoniaPatagonia
Patagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
and southern Chile in the 19th century cultural elements of Chiloé spread to that zones as many chilotes migrated and settled there.
Architecture
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
and nearby areas. In part because of its physical isolation from the rest of Chile, and access to different materials, Chiloé has a very special architecture that differs most greatly from the typical Spanish colonial architecture. The Spanish who arrived in the 16th century, and Jesuit missionaries who followed, constructed hundreds of small wooden churches
Churches of Chiloé
The Churches of Chiloé in Chile's Chiloé Archipelago are a unique architectural phenomenon in the Americas and one of the most prominent buildings of Chilota architecture. Unlike classical Spanish colonial architecture the churches of Chiloé are made entirely in native timber with extensive use of...
in an attempt to bring Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to a pagan land; the result was a mixing of Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and pagan beliefs. These unique buildings have been designated a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Nearly all the houses and buildings in colonial Chiloe were built with wood, and wood shingle
Wood shingle
Wood shingles are roof shingles made of cut wood, used for roofing material. Such roofing material made from split wood is referred to as "shakes"....
s were extensively employed. Roof shingles of Fitzroya
Fitzroya
Fitzroya is a monotypic genus in the cypress family.-Species:The single living species, Fitzroya cupressoides, is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains of southern Chile and Argentina, where it is an important member of the Valdivian temperate rain forests...
came to be used as money and called "Real
Spanish real
The real was a unit of currency in Spain for several centuries after the mid-14th century, but changed in value relative to other units introduced...
de Alerce". In the late 19th century many palafito
Palafito
A palafito is a stilt village or dwelling erected on bodies of water. The name Venezuela, meaning "Little Venice," may be due to these Palafitos, which reminded Amerigo Vespucci of Venice when he explored Lake Maracaibo...
s (stilt house
Stilt house
Stilt houses or pile dwellings or palafitte are houses raised on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding, but also serve to keep out vermin...
s) were built in cities like Castro
Castro, Chile
Castro is a city and commune in the Chilean island of Chiloé Island. Castro is the capital of the Chiloé Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is Chile's third oldest city in continued existence...
and Chonchi
Chonchi
Chonchi is a Chilean town and commune located in Los Lagos Region. Chonchi is a truly rural community. The country people have given a distinct form to its valleys, hills and waterways...
.
Chilote Spanish
Chilote is a dialectDialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
spoken on Chiloé Archipelago. It has distinct differences from standard Chilean Spanish in accent, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, especially influenced by the Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
variant of Mapudungun
Mapudungun
The Mapuche language, Mapudungun is a language isolate spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people. It is also spelled Mapuzugun and sometimes called Mapudungu or Araucanian...
.
Cuisine
Chono
Chono or Chona is a generic name for a nomadic, indigenous people of the Chiloé Archipelago, Chile. They are now extinct.The Chono became extinct during the 18th century with the last survivor going missing in 1875....
s and Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
s. Typical features of Chilote cuisine include earth oven
Earth oven
An earth oven or cooking pit is one of the most simple and long-used cooking structures . At its simplest, an earth oven is simply a pit in the ground used to trap heat and bake, smoke, or steam food...
and asado
Asado
Asado is a term used both for a range of barbecue techniques and the social event of having or attending a barbecue in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and southern Brazil. In the former countries asado is also the standard word for barbecue. An asado usually consists of beef alongside various...
barbecues. Chilote cuisine makes extensive use fish, shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
and potatoes of which there are plenty of varieties growing in the archipelago's different islands. Lamb is considered the most appreciated meat and is eaten and prepared as an asado
Asado
Asado is a term used both for a range of barbecue techniques and the social event of having or attending a barbecue in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and southern Brazil. In the former countries asado is also the standard word for barbecue. An asado usually consists of beef alongside various...
, specially around Christmas and new year. Apple chicha
Chicha
For the musical genre, see Peruvian cumbiaChicha is a term used in some regions of Latin America for several varieties of fermented and non-fermented beverages, rather often to those derived from maize and similar non-alcoholic beverages...
is a common alcoholic beverage. Other typical alcoholic beverages are murtado
Murtado
Murtado is a typical liqueur from southern Chile where the endemic Ugni molinae grows. It is made by conserving Ugni molinae inside a bottle with aguardiente for some weeks and then mixing it with syrup....
and licor de oro
Licor de oro
Licor de oro is a typical Chilotan liqueur made of aguardiente and whey. The other ingredients are saffron and lemon peel....
liqueurs. Common dishes include curanto
Curanto
Curanto is a traditional food of Chiloé Archipelago that has spread to the southern areas of Chile and recently Argentina. It is traditionally prepared in a hole, about a meter and a half deep, which is dug in the ground...
, paila marina
Paila marina
Paila marina is a traditional Chilean seafood stew usually served in a paila . Paila marina is usually a shellfish stock containing different kinds of cooked shellfish and fish. These are complemented with a variety of herbs and spices such as garlic, cilantro, onion....
and pulmay.
Mythology
Chiloé have a rich folklore with many mythological animals and spirits (the CaleucheCaleuche
"The Caleuche" is a mythical ghost ship of the Chilote mythology and local folklore of the Chiloé Island, in Chile. It is one of the most important myths of the culture of Chile.-Legend:...
, the Trauco
Trauco
In the traditional Chilota mythology of Chiloé, the Trauco is a humanoid creature of small stature - similar to a dwarf or goblin - who lives in the deep forests. It has with an ugly face, and legs without feet.- Legend :...
, the Pincoya
Pincoya
The Pincoya is, according to local mythology, a female "water spirit" of the Chilotan Seas. The Pincoya is said to have long blond hair, be of incomparable beauty, be cheerful and sensual, and rise from the depths of the sea.-Legends:...
, the Invunche
Invunche
In the Chilote folklore and Chilote mythology of the Chiloé Island in southern Chile, the imbunche or invunche is a legendary monster that protects the entrance to a warlock's cave.-Legend:...
, etc.). Chilota mythology is based on a mixture of indigenous religions (the Chono
Chono
Chono or Chona is a generic name for a nomadic, indigenous people of the Chiloé Archipelago, Chile. They are now extinct.The Chono became extinct during the 18th century with the last survivor going missing in 1875....
s and Huilliche
Huilliche
The Huilliche is an ethnic group of Chile, belonging to the Mapuche culture. They live in mountain valleys in an area south of Toltén River and on Chiloé Archipelago...
s) that live in the Archipelago of Chiloé, and the legends and superstitions brought by the Spanish Conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
es, who in 1567 began the process of conquest in Chiloé and with it the fusion of elements that would form a separate mythology. Chilota mythology flourished, isolated from other beliefs and myths in Chile, due to the separation of the archipelago from the rest of the Spanish occupation in Chile, when the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
s occupied or destroyed by all the Spanish settlements between the Bío-Bío River
Bío-Bío River
The Biobío River is the second largest river in Chile. It originates from Icalma and Galletué lakes in the Andes and flows 380 km to the Gulf of Arauco on the Pacific Ocean....
and the Chacao
Chacao
Chacao may refer to the following articles:*Chacao Municipality - a municipality of Caracas, Venezuela*Chacao Channel*Chacao Channel bridge*Chacao , a Venezuelan cacique from the 16th century*Chacao Indian...
channel following the disaster of Curalaba
Disaster of Curalaba
The Disaster of Curalaba is the name given to a battle between Spanish conquerors led by Martín García Óñez de Loyola and Mapuche people led by Pelantaru on a place called Curalaba , in southern Chile...
in 1598.
According to Chilotan mythology the origin of the archipelago lies in a fierce battle between two serpents, Ten Ten-Vilu
Ten Ten-Vilu
Ten Ten-Vilu or Trentren-Vilu is the god of Earth and Fertility ; he has a generous spirit and is the protector of all life on Earth, and the flora and fauna and according to some Mapuche myths...
(ten="earth", vilu="snake") and Coi Coi-Vilu
Coi Coi-Vilu
Coi Coi-Vilu or Caicai-Vilu is the god of water and of all that inhabits it and is who rules the seas; according to Mapuche myths . This snake was a central figure in the Origin Of The Chiloean Archipelago...
(Co="water", vilu="snake").
Demographics and economy
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
according to the 2002 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
was 154,775; of this, 44% lived in rural areas, according to the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
(INE). Chiloé's people are known as Chilotes.
Salmon aquaculture
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
, tourism, agriculture and timber are the mainstays of the island economy.
Tourism
Having evolved for centuries isolated from mainland Chile, the "Chilotes" developed a strong, self-reliant culture, rich in folklore, mythology and tradition. This very identity is what constitutes the island's major attraction for domestic tourists in Chile and increasingly, for international tourists. As in the Calakmul case above, tourism to Chiloé is very strongly based on the island's cultural heritage, predominantly consisting of crafts markets, appreciation of cultural landscapes, museum exhibitions, seafood cuisine and architectural heritage (Chiloé's old churches). However, the average tourist to the island will have little opportunity to see Chilotes involved in their living cultural activities, such as the elaborate preparation of the islands famous "curanto" meal, rich in shellfish, meat and potatoes, the management practices of their farm and forest lands, boat building and more.In order to overcome the cultural and organizational barriers that keep suppliers of living cultural heritage and tour operators apart, the Chiloé diocese of Ancud established a private foundation called "Fundación con Todos" (One for All Foundation). Among other activities, the Foundation has played a key role in helping a number of Chilote households organize themselves into an "agrotourism" network. The Foundation helped Chilote households make the preparation required to accommodate tourists (including training in sanitation and maintenance of facilities, the provision of basic infrastructure) and complemented this effort with a professional marketing campaign. These works were undertaken with the financial support of other agencies.
Again, in cooperation with the EOMF and the Chiloé Model Forest, a cultural and natural heritage tour was organized to Argentina and Chile, including a three-day visit to Chiloé, permitting some of the Chilote households to host a group of cultural heritage tourists for the first time. The visits were very successful and should be the first of more to come, helping establish the credibility of Chiloé's agrotourism network among other tour operators.