O'Higgins Region
Encyclopedia
The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile
's 15 first order administrative division
s. It is subdivided into three provinces
. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme
, one of Chile's founding fathers.
The O'Higgins Region is bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean
, to the east by the Republic of Argentina, to the north by the Valparaíso
and Santiago Metropolitan
Regions, and to the south by the Maule Region
. It extends approximately between the parallels of 33°51’ and 35°01’ south latitude, and between the meridian of 70°02’ west longitude and the Pacific Ocean.
The capital and largest city of the region is Rancagua
. The second major town is San Fernando
.
times extensive Nothofagus
forests covered much of O'Higgins Region.
The O'Higgins Region is part of the very restricted range of the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis; in prehistoric times this Chilean endemic tree had a significantly larger range.
, Cáhuil
and Bucalemu
, they left trash deposits or shell middens bearing testimony to their raids . During the Agroalfarero Period (300 BCE - 1470 CE), the inhabitants experienced changes in their way of life, the most important being the cultivation of vegetables and the manufacture of clay objects. From 600 CE onwards, they started cultivating beans, maize
, squashes, pumpkins and Quinoa
. All of these except Quinoa
and some types of maize required irrigation, which prompted them to move to the banks of creeks and rivers. During this period, groups of people lived in Quincha
houses with straw roofs, in the vicinity of irrigation channels and horticulture crops, a style of life attributable to the Promaucaes
or Picunches and to the Chiquillanes. During the Colonial Period
(1541 CE to 1811 CE), the region became dominated, like the rest of the country, by the Spanish, and a system of ranching became predominant .
The O'Higgins region contains a large part of the rural population (surpassed only by the Maule Region
). Amongst the highly populated cities, Rancagua
(206,971 inhabitants) stands out for having been transformed, in recent times, into an outskirt of Santiago. It is close being located 87 km south of Santiago. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province
as well the O'Higgins Region. According to the census of 2002, other densely populated cities are: San Fernando
(49,519 inhabitants); Rengo (30,891); Machalí
(23,920); Graneros
(21,616); San Vicente de Tagua Tagua
(18,914); Santa Cruz
(18,603); Chimbarongo
(13,795); San Francisco de Mostazal (12,037); and Pichilemu
(9,027) a well-known beach resort city founded by Agustin Ross Edwards in the late 19th century.
mine, which contributes 7.7% of Chile’s copper production. The ore is processed at the Sewell
and Colón
concentrator plants, smelted and refined at Caletones, and shipped from the port of San Antonio, in the Valparaíso Region. Byproducts include molybdenum
and silver
.
Agriculture contributes 30.1% of the region’s GDP. One out of every four hectares of fruit orchards in Chile
is in the O’Higgins Region. The main crops are apples and pears, followed by table grapes, plums, kiwis, and nectarines.
Manufacturing activity in the region is mostly related to copper mining, agribusiness
, and food and beverages. One particular growth area is the production of fruit juices and pulp
, and dehydrated fruit.
Over the past few years, there has been significant development in the forestry sector, especially plantations of eucalyptus and radiata pine.
is appointed by the president. Moises Saravia is the current intendant (2011).
The administration of the region rests with the regional government, which is headed by the intendant and the regional council (Consejo Regional de Chile). The latter comprises sixteen regional administrators, who are elected indirectly (ten from Cachapoal
, four from Colchagua
, and two from Cardenal Caro
).
The provinces are subdivided into 33 communes.
. Sashes and mantas – traditional items of the huaso costume – are woven in Doñihue
on heavy vertical looms. Designs imitate vine leaves, bunches of grapes, pine
s and copihues. Other designs of colored stripes are woven on horizontal looms.
The population is a mixture of both Europe
an (including Argentina
n immigrants) and Indigenous
races and cultures, thus the region has a homogeneous culture known as Chileanidad is present and a mestizo
imprint is evident.
The O'Higgins region had Spanish (most notably are Andalusian
, Basque
, Aragon
ese and Navarre
se) settlers and other European immigrants in its history. The French
and Italian families established agriculture with the key Chilean wine
industry from their vineyards. Breweries can be found as well to produce beer
is the legacy of German and Swiss
immigration. Livestock herding was co-founded by some British
, Greek and Yugoslavian
settlers.
The Wine Route is one of the main tourist attractions of the Colchagua valley and has resulted in an important economic revival.
In the late 19th century, a small number of Cherokee
and Oklahoma
n settlers of American Indian
descent from Indian Territory
, USA came to the O'Higgins region by the Chilean government. The Cherokee were displaced by white Anglo settlement in Oklahoma at the time, so they accept an offer to settle in Chile, then founded a cooperative farm (1880's) Ovasso an Osage language
word for "the end" or "edge". The farm settlement was abandoned from lack of successful farm production.
There is quite a small colony of Aarti
s or "Artas", East Indian
s descended from hired rail workers came from then British India in the early 20th century. The Artas are from a Hindi language word for "shining cloth" that was wore over their bodies during Hindu
religious rites, but they rather call themselves desi
s.
Due to a relatively close distance to Santiago, a more urban influence has been present in the local culture. The largest city, Rancagua is fast-becoming a suburb of Santiago's upper-class professional workforce.
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...
's 15 first order administrative division
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
s. It is subdivided into three provinces
Provinces of Chile
A province is the second largest administrative division in Chile, after a region. Each region is divided into provinces. There are 54 provinces in total....
. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
, one of Chile's founding fathers.
The O'Higgins Region is bordered to the west by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, to the east by the Republic of Argentina, to the north by the Valparaíso
Valparaíso Region
The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region...
and Santiago Metropolitan
Santiago Metropolitan Region
Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago...
Regions, and to the south by the Maule Region
Maule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
. It extends approximately between the parallels of 33°51’ and 35°01’ south latitude, and between the meridian of 70°02’ west longitude and the Pacific Ocean.
The capital and largest city of the region is Rancagua
Rancagua
Rancagua is a city and commune in central Chile, part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located south of the national capital of Santiago. It had a 2002 population of 214,344...
. The second major town is San Fernando
San Fernando, Chile
San Fernando is the capital of the province of Colchagua, in central Chile, and the second most populated urban center of the O'Higgins Region. Located close to the Tinguiririca River in a fertile valley, San Fernando sits 1,112 feet above sea level...
.
Geography
In pre-QuaternaryQuaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
times extensive Nothofagus
Nothofagus
Nothofagus, also known as the southern beeches, is a genus of 35 species of trees and shrubs native to the temperate oceanic to tropical Southern Hemisphere in southern South America and Australasia...
forests covered much of O'Higgins Region.
The O'Higgins Region is part of the very restricted range of the endangered Chilean Wine Palm, Jubaea chilensis; in prehistoric times this Chilean endemic tree had a significantly larger range.
History
From 9000 BCE to 300 BCE (the Archaic Period), the humans who inhabited the region moved between the coast and the valley as well as the Andes. At sites such as PichilemuPichilemu
Pichilemu , originally known as Pichilemo, is a beach resort city and commune in central Chile, and capital of Cardenal Caro Province. It is located southwest of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and comprises an urban center and twenty-three villages, such as Ciruelos, Cáhuil, and Espinillo...
, Cáhuil
Cáhuil
Cáhuil is a Chilean village located south of Pichilemu, in the outfall of Nilahue Lake, in the O'Higgins Region. Cáhuil means "seagull's place" in Mapudungun language. The economy is based on the production of coastal salt, oysters, and choros...
and Bucalemu
Bucalemu
Bucalemu is a Chilean town, located from Pichilemu, in the Cardenal Caro Province, O'Higgins Region. It belongs to the Paredones commune and, according to the 1992 census, Bucalemu has 1,532 inhabitants....
, they left trash deposits or shell middens bearing testimony to their raids . During the Agroalfarero Period (300 BCE - 1470 CE), the inhabitants experienced changes in their way of life, the most important being the cultivation of vegetables and the manufacture of clay objects. From 600 CE onwards, they started cultivating beans, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, squashes, pumpkins and Quinoa
Quinoa
Quinoa , a species of goosefoot , is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family...
. All of these except Quinoa
Quinoa
Quinoa , a species of goosefoot , is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family...
and some types of maize required irrigation, which prompted them to move to the banks of creeks and rivers. During this period, groups of people lived in Quincha
Quincha
Quincha is a traditional construction system that uses, fundamentally, wood and cane or giant reed forming an earthquake-proof framework that is covered in mud and plaster....
houses with straw roofs, in the vicinity of irrigation channels and horticulture crops, a style of life attributable to the Promaucaes
Promaucaes
Promaucaes, Promaucas or Purumaucas ; pre-Columbian Mapuche tribal group that lived in the present territory of Chile, south of the Maipo River basin of Santiago, Chile and the Itata River,...
or Picunches and to the Chiquillanes. During the Colonial Period
Kingdom of Chile
The General Captaincy of Chile or Gobernacion de Chile, was an administrative territory of the Viceroyalty of Peru in the Spanish Empire from 1541 to 1818, the year in which it declared itself independent, becoming the Republic of Chile...
(1541 CE to 1811 CE), the region became dominated, like the rest of the country, by the Spanish, and a system of ranching became predominant .
Demography
Maule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
). Amongst the highly populated cities, Rancagua
Rancagua
Rancagua is a city and commune in central Chile, part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located south of the national capital of Santiago. It had a 2002 population of 214,344...
(206,971 inhabitants) stands out for having been transformed, in recent times, into an outskirt of Santiago. It is close being located 87 km south of Santiago. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province
Cachapoal Province
Cachapoal Province is one of three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . Its capital is the city of Rancagua .-Geography and demography:...
as well the O'Higgins Region. According to the census of 2002, other densely populated cities are: San Fernando
San Fernando, Chile
San Fernando is the capital of the province of Colchagua, in central Chile, and the second most populated urban center of the O'Higgins Region. Located close to the Tinguiririca River in a fertile valley, San Fernando sits 1,112 feet above sea level...
(49,519 inhabitants); Rengo (30,891); Machalí
Machalí
Machalí is a Chilean commune and city in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Machalí spans an area of and has 28,628 inhabitants . Of these, 26,852 lived in urban areas and 1,776 in rural areas...
(23,920); Graneros
Graneros
Graneros is a Chilean commune and city in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Graneros spans an area of and has 25,961 inhabitants . Of these, 22,674 lived in urban areas and 3,287 in rural areas...
(21,616); San Vicente de Tagua Tagua
San Vicente de Tagua Tagua
San Vicente de Tagua Tagua, or just San Vicente, is a Chilean commune and city in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, San Vicente spans an area of and has 40,253 inhabitants . Of these, 21,965 lived in urban areas...
(18,914); Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, Chile
Santa Cruz is a Chilean city and commune, located in the Colchagua valley, in the O'Higgins Region, placed in the southern shore of Tinguiririca river, 110 miles from Santiago, Chile's capital city and 27 miles from San Fernando-History:...
(18,603); Chimbarongo
Chimbarongo
Chimbarongo, Chile, is a city and commune located south of Santiago in the Colchagua Province of the O'Higgins Region. Many of the people of Chimbarongo make their living weaving wickerwork, or "mimbre", baskets.-Demographics:...
(13,795); San Francisco de Mostazal (12,037); and Pichilemu
Pichilemu
Pichilemu , originally known as Pichilemo, is a beach resort city and commune in central Chile, and capital of Cardenal Caro Province. It is located southwest of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and comprises an urban center and twenty-three villages, such as Ciruelos, Cáhuil, and Espinillo...
(9,027) a well-known beach resort city founded by Agustin Ross Edwards in the late 19th century.
Economy
The main industrial and export activity takes place at CODELCO’s El TenienteEl Teniente
El Teniente is an underground copper mine in the Chilean commune of Machalí in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region, near the town of Sewell, above mean sea level in the Andes. Mining at El Teniente is reported to have started as early as 1819...
mine, which contributes 7.7% of Chile’s copper production. The ore is processed at the Sewell
Sewell
Sewell may refer to:In people:*Anna Sewell , British writer, author of Black Beauty, daughter of Mary Wright Sewell*Anthony Sewell Sewell may refer to:In people:*Anna Sewell (1820–1878), British writer, author of Black Beauty, daughter of Mary Wright Sewell*Anthony Sewell Sewell may refer to:In...
and Colón
Colón
Colón is a Spanish and Portuguese surname, comparable to the Italian and Portuguese Colombo . It may refer to:People:* Cristóbal Colón, the Spanish language name for the explorer Christopher Columbus...
concentrator plants, smelted and refined at Caletones, and shipped from the port of San Antonio, in the Valparaíso Region. Byproducts include molybdenum
Molybdenum
Molybdenum , is a Group 6 chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42. The name is from Neo-Latin Molybdaenum, from Ancient Greek , meaning lead, itself proposed as a loanword from Anatolian Luvian and Lydian languages, since its ores were confused with lead ores...
and silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
.
Agriculture contributes 30.1% of the region’s GDP. One out of every four hectares of fruit orchards in Chile
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...
is in the O’Higgins Region. The main crops are apples and pears, followed by table grapes, plums, kiwis, and nectarines.
Manufacturing activity in the region is mostly related to copper mining, agribusiness
Agribusiness
In agriculture, agribusiness is a generic term for the various businesses involved in food production, including farming and contract farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing, and retail sales....
, and food and beverages. One particular growth area is the production of fruit juices and pulp
Juice vesicles
The juice vesicles of a citrus fruit are the membranous content of the fruit’s endocarp. The vesicles contain the juice of the fruit. The pulp is usually removed from the juice by filtering it out...
, and dehydrated fruit.
Over the past few years, there has been significant development in the forestry sector, especially plantations of eucalyptus and radiata pine.
Law and Government
The region is governed by an intendant, whois appointed by the president. Moises Saravia is the current intendant (2011).
The administration of the region rests with the regional government, which is headed by the intendant and the regional council (Consejo Regional de Chile). The latter comprises sixteen regional administrators, who are elected indirectly (ten from Cachapoal
Cachapoal Province
Cachapoal Province is one of three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . Its capital is the city of Rancagua .-Geography and demography:...
, four from Colchagua
Colchagua Province
Colchagua Province is one of three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . Its capital is San Fernando. It is bordered on the north by Cachapoal Province, on the east by the Argentine Republic, on the south by Curicó Province, and on the west by Cardenal Caro Province.-Geography and...
, and two from Cardenal Caro
Cardenal Caro Province
Cardenal Caro Province is one of the three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . The capital of Cardenal Caro is Pichilemu....
).
Administrative divisions
For purposes of interior administration, the O'Higgins region is divided into three provinces:- Cachapoal ProvinceCachapoal ProvinceCachapoal Province is one of three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . Its capital is the city of Rancagua .-Geography and demography:...
, capital: RancaguaRancaguaRancagua is a city and commune in central Chile, part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located south of the national capital of Santiago. It had a 2002 population of 214,344...
, - Colchagua ProvinceColchagua ProvinceColchagua Province is one of three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . Its capital is San Fernando. It is bordered on the north by Cachapoal Province, on the east by the Argentine Republic, on the south by Curicó Province, and on the west by Cardenal Caro Province.-Geography and...
, capital: San FernandoSan Fernando, ChileSan Fernando is the capital of the province of Colchagua, in central Chile, and the second most populated urban center of the O'Higgins Region. Located close to the Tinguiririca River in a fertile valley, San Fernando sits 1,112 feet above sea level...
, - Cardenal Caro ProvinceCardenal Caro ProvinceCardenal Caro Province is one of the three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . The capital of Cardenal Caro is Pichilemu....
, capital: PichilemuPichilemuPichilemu , originally known as Pichilemo, is a beach resort city and commune in central Chile, and capital of Cardenal Caro Province. It is located southwest of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and comprises an urban center and twenty-three villages, such as Ciruelos, Cáhuil, and Espinillo...
.
The provinces are subdivided into 33 communes.
| Politico-administrative divisions of the O'Higgins Region | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 |
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Culture
This area is known as the "huaso province" after the name of the Chilean cowboy, the huasoHuaso
A huaso is a Chilean countryman and skilled horseman, similar to the Argentinian, Rio Grande do Sul's or Uruguayan gaucho, the American cowboy, the Australian stockman, and Mexican vaquero and charro. A female huaso is called a huasa, although the term china is far more commonly used for his wife...
. Sashes and mantas – traditional items of the huaso costume – are woven in Doñihue
Doñihue
Doñihue is a Chilean city and commune in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Doñihue spans an area of and has 16,916 inhabitants . Of these, 15,590 lived in urban areas and 1,326 in rural areas...
on heavy vertical looms. Designs imitate vine leaves, bunches of grapes, pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
s and copihues. Other designs of colored stripes are woven on horizontal looms.
The population is a mixture of both Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an (including Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
n immigrants) and Indigenous
Indigenous peoples in Chile
Indigenous peoples in Chile form about 4.6% of the total population .The Mapuches, from the south, accounted for approximately 85 percent of this number...
races and cultures, thus the region has a homogeneous culture known as Chileanidad is present and a mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
imprint is evident.
The O'Higgins region had Spanish (most notably are Andalusian
Andalusian people
The Andalusians are the people of the southern region in Spain approximated by what is now called Andalusia. They are generally not considered an ethnically distinct people because they lack two of the most important markers of distinctiveness: their own language and an awareness of a presumed...
, Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
, Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
ese and Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
se) settlers and other European immigrants in its history. The French
French Chilean
A French Chilean is an Chilean citizen of full or partial French ancestry. Between 1840 and 1940, 20,000 to 25,000 French people immigrated to Chile...
and Italian families established agriculture with the key Chilean wine
Chilean wine
Chilean wine is wine made in the South American country of Chile. The region has a long viticultural history for a New World wine region dating to the 16th century when the Spanish conquistadors brought Vitis vinifera vines with them as they colonized the region. In the mid-19th century, French...
industry from their vineyards. Breweries can be found as well to produce beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
is the legacy of German and Swiss
Swiss Chilean
There are currently 5,000 Swiss citizens residing in Chile and 90,000 with Swiss descendants.- Immigration :The number of Swiss in Chile is minor, despite having a relatively large number of members. This is because their linguistic and cultural characteristics are commonly confused with Germans,...
immigration. Livestock herding was co-founded by some British
British Chilean
The British Chileans are people of British ancestry, in full or in part, who reside in Chile. The British have been very important in the formation of the Chilean nation. They include Chileans of English, Scottish and Welsh ancestry. The numbers of Scottish and Welsh are higher in the Patagonia and...
, Greek and Yugoslavian
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
settlers.
The Wine Route is one of the main tourist attractions of the Colchagua valley and has resulted in an important economic revival.
In the late 19th century, a small number of Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
n settlers of American Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
descent from Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
, USA came to the O'Higgins region by the Chilean government. The Cherokee were displaced by white Anglo settlement in Oklahoma at the time, so they accept an offer to settle in Chile, then founded a cooperative farm (1880's) Ovasso an Osage language
Osage language
Osage is a Siouan language spoken by the Osage people of Oklahoma. The last native speaker, Lucille Roubedeaux, died ca. 2005.Osage has an inventory of sounds very similar to that of Dakota, plus vowel length, preaspirated obstruents, and an interdental fricative...
word for "the end" or "edge". The farm settlement was abandoned from lack of successful farm production.
There is quite a small colony of Aarti
Aarti
Aarti , also spelled arathi, aarthi is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a form of puja, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee or camphor is offered to one or more deities...
s or "Artas", East Indian
Indian people
Indian people or Indisians constitute the Asian nation and pan-ethnic group native to India, which forms the south of Asia, containing 17.31% of the world's population. The Indian nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the rich and complex history of India...
s descended from hired rail workers came from then British India in the early 20th century. The Artas are from a Hindi language word for "shining cloth" that was wore over their bodies during Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
religious rites, but they rather call themselves desi
Desi
Desi or Deshi refers to the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora. Desi countries include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...
s.
Due to a relatively close distance to Santiago, a more urban influence has been present in the local culture. The largest city, Rancagua is fast-becoming a suburb of Santiago's upper-class professional workforce.
Regional Festivals
| Date | English Name | Spanish Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 October | Disaster of Rancagua | Desastre de Rancagua | In memory of the Battle of Rancagua Disaster of Rancagua The Battle of Rancagua, also known as the Disaster of Rancagua occurred in October 1814 when the Spanish under Mariano Osorio defeated rebel Chilean forces.... which occurred in 1814 |