Indigenous people in Chile

Indigenous people in the north Changos Aymara Atacameños Diaguitas

Changos They were nomadic people, so they didn´t settle down in one place. They travelled along the coast from Arica to Choapa river. They fished and collected seafood. They made rafts from sea lion skin. They softened the skin with fresh water ,sewed the pieces together and then rubbed them with sea lion oil. They lived in small communities near the coast and made their homes with wooden poles or whale ribs covered with sea lion skin.

Aymara They lived in the valleys and in the coast. In the valley they planted potatoes, corn and quinoa. In the coast they fished. They developed food preservation techniques such as drying fish. They bred sheep,llamas and alpacas , obtained wool from them and used them to transport people and cargo. They made pottery, basketwork and textiles.

Atacameños They were sedentary and lived in the basin of Loa River. They developed an irrigation system called terracing .This system allowed them to water their plantations. On the hillside they grew crops such as beans, potatoes and corn.

Diaguitas They lived in valleys with abundant water between Copiapó and Choapa rivers. They farmed the land : planted corn, potatoes, quinoa and other vegetables. They lived in houses made of mud and straw. They made pottery and decorated it with geometric designs using red, white and black dye.

Diaguita Pottery

Central Zone Many ethnic groups lived in Central and Southern in Chile before the Spaniards arrived in América. Most of them spoke Mapudungún. The Spaniards learnt many Mapudungún words which are still used today. The main ethnic group was the Mapuches.

Mapuches Sedentary people that lived between the Choapa river and within Reloncaví. ( Seno de Reloncaví ) They were the main ethnic group that lived in the Central and Southern zone in Chile. They lived in large family groups called clans. The head of the clan was the oldest man. They were agricultures , they planted corn, potatoes and vegetables. They gathered wild fruit. They also fished and bred animals. Made their clothes with guanaco wool and wore beautiful necklaces. They used bola slings ( boleadoras ) , arrows and traps for hunting. Their language was Mapudungún.

Mapuches played a game called : Chueca

Southern Zone Cuncos Puelches y Tehuelches Chonos, Alacalufes y Yaganes Ona

Puelches Son grupos nómades cazadores cordilleranos Habitaban el sector cordillerano desde el Volcán de Lonquimay hasta las proximidades de Osorno. Manifestaciones artísticas Desconocían la cestería y la cerámica. También desconocían el tejido aunque adquirían mantas tejidas de los mapuches y españoles.

Tehuelches Eran bandas nómades cazadoras y recolectoras También llamados Patagones Habitaron la patagonia Su vestuario se compone de taparrabos, de una capa de cuero con dibujos y poncho

Chonos, Alacalufes y Yaganes In Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia in Southernmost Chile, There were different native peoples, like the Chonos, Yaganes and Alacalufes. They were fishermen who travelled the canals on their canoes looking for food. They were called nomads of the sea, because their canoes were their homes. They ate shellfish and remains of fish and whales. They got on the canoes with their few possesions,which included weapons and even made fires inside.

Onas (selknam) The southernmost part of Chile was also inhabited by the Onas and the Tehuelches. These people were nomadic, hunted animals and gathered fruits,seeds,roots and mushrooms. Their homes were tents made of animal skins and poles. This allowed them to move from place to place carrying their tents easily.

Ona hunters with their weapons.

The Rapa Nui The Rapa Nui people live on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. They are also known as Pascuenses. La danza Rapa Nui son manifestaciones que surgen de la necesidad del hombre de expresarse a través del movimiento y experiencia ritual y espiritual. La más conocida es el Sau Sau, en la que las mujeres muestran toda su gracia y soltura, dentro de su movilidad se acompaña con el movimiento de manos.

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