The main legends and myths of Chile are related to beautiful and ruthless women, magical birds, giants and mythological marine creatures. In each zone of the country different legends can be found, and all are part of the Chilean culture.
Chile, like the rest of the South American nations, has a millenary tradition that has generated a particular mythology through generations. These manifestations narrated popularly have repercussions in the Chilean society today, generating great rooting.
The set of myths and legends that constitute Chilean mythology has its origin in events and practices that at one time had a ritual character. These became a tradition over time, adapting to each new historical and social moment without losing the essence of its content.
A nation like Chile has been and continues to be home to multiple ethnicities and cultures that have survived centuries. From this it becomes that the myths and legends of Chile have regional qualities, depending on their place of origin, even being classified under these criteria.
These manifestations have been divided from the northern, central and southern areas of Chilean territory, including legends and myths of isolated sovereign territories, such as Easter Island and the Chiloé archipelago.
Top 10 Legends and Myths of Chile
1- La Lola
This legend is one of the most popular among the mining communities of northern Chile. It revolves around the appearance of a woman dragging a black coffin in which lie the remains of her murdered husband. She manifests herself to men as a beautiful woman; if they come and follow her, they die.
The story tells that this woman falls in love and runs away from her home with a miner. Then begins to be a victim of deception, so she decides to kill her husband with a dagger. The woman flees to the mountains with shouts, to reappear later, disheveled and ready to murder who killed her husband.
2- The Pachayatas
The legend of the Pachayatas tells a love story between two young men, prince and princess, belonging to rival tribes. Both tribes try to end the relationship of lovers; however, fail continuously.
Before the force of this love, nature and the gods send signals to the tribes so that they change their attitude and let the young people to be together; they ignored.
Faced with impotence, both tribes sacrifice the young princes. The gods punished the tribe by sending natural whips to the region, until there was nothing left and no one left. Over time two lakes were born in the same place where the tribes lived, in homage to the love of the two lovers.
3- The Alicanto
It is a mythological creature from the north and central region of Chile. It is a wonderful bird in sight, unable to fly, that wanders through forests and mountains.
It is said that whoever follows it will be guided to countless treasures, but if the bird becomes aware that it is followed, it will mislead the person, causing their loss and death.
4- The lagoon of the Inca
The legend appears in the place of the same name: a lagoon that is said to serve for the Inca Illi Yupanqui to leave their feathers of love. The Inca prince laments since Princess Kora-lle died. Yupanqui, unable to save her, deposited her body in the lagoon, whose waters turned a pinkish color.
In Inca he wept his beloved until the end of his days. There are rumors that indicate that today you can still hear the cries of Illi Yupanqui on the banks of the lagoon that bears his name.
5- La Calchona
This legend revolves around witchcraft and tells the story of a woman who had potions to become an animal. She used them every night to hide from her family, after spell- ing them so they would not wake up from their dreams.
One night her children discover her and also drink the potions, becoming foxes. The father discovers them and, after achieving to return them to the normality, destroys all the potions of the witch and leaves the house.
The woman returns and can only return half of her body to normal, wandering like a half-sheep and half-woman creature.
6- The Gualicho
For several of the Patagonian tribes, especially the Tehuelches, the Gualicho is a mythological entity that represents all the evils that man can suffer; the universal evil.
The Gualicho does not take human form, but rather it is related to everything related to the environment that has on it a sinister or dark load.
It has been said that the Spaniards misinterpreted the negative qualities of this Aboriginal entity, comparing it and spreading it as the Catholic devil.
7- Ayayema
It is another spirit without particular form; in this case, has a natural evocation, being the cause of strong winds that hit certain regions.
The local tribes covered a chaotic, though not entirely evil character. It was the Spaniards who were in charge of demonizing him when comparing his actions with those of the devil.
It is said that the Ayayema visits the excursion camps. If your visit is perceived through a strong smell of rot that is said to announce its closeness, the camp must be moved to prevent Ayayema from destroying it.
8- Patagonian Giants
This legend originates in the times of the Spanish expeditions in the southern region.
The journals of the explorers came to mention human figures more than two meters high, with great physical structure and curious and superstitious gestures.
9- La Pincoya
It is a marine mythological creature that has human form, with qualities similar to the sirens but without an evil character.
He often emerges from the depths of the sea and walks on the shore, indicating to sea men whether future fishing will be scarce or abundant.
Make-Make
It is one of the most important deities of the Polynesian literature, from which is born its own myth related to the creation of the world.
The Make-Make displaced the other gods by fulfilling the prayers for food that the Polynesians rendered in their honor.
References
- Image Foundation of Chile. (June 24, 2016). Myths and Legends: Magical Chile . Retrieved from This is Chile: thisischile.cl
- Keller, C. (1972). Myths and legends of Chile. In C. Keller, Modern Encyclopedia of Chile (page 101). Santiago de Chile: Jerónimo de Vivar.
- Lopez, J. O. (2006). Myths and Latin American legends. Bogotá: Plaza & Janés Editors.
- Torres, S. M. (2009). Cultural mutations of Chiloé: the myths and legends in the neoliberal modernity of the island. Convergence .