Chiloe Island Traditions

The night of San Juan:

It was common place in families of one or more persons named Juan or Juana. They revolved around performing in the celebrations that night in San Juan.

Gathered around the campfire relatives and friends to cook a pork roast, make apple beer or wine, to tell jokes, to prepare the trope with fat to emerge from the roast and plan and perform the traditional proofs of the night St. John (the proof of potatoes, needles, etc.)..

At 12 midnight on some occasions the brave men who participated in the celebration came in search of the coveted burials, which are believed to burning at this hour.

The outcome no one spoke, for its part the homeowner came after 12 pm to guasquear their fruit trees that have high volume production next season.

Ask for the hand:

The requested hand was a real ceremonial at the time. The groom had to face the girl's parents to apply. Those who decided after marriage in agreement with the groom determined the date on which it would conduct the requested hand. On this occasion, the groom arrived accompanied by his godparents, who formally requested the girl's hand.

After offering a lunch visit, the girl's parents were among his daughter's godparents, who had it in their power until the day of religious marriage. After this ceremony, the lady became the lawful wife and stayed tied for life to her husband.

The Warlock:

On a heap of straw was placed a person pretending to be dead. At the entrance of the door two men played the role of dogs who howled and barked incessantly. Meanwhile, one, two or three witch jumped around the house and every time the witches neglected mourners entered the house to try to remove the dead, who could not get.

It removes the dead and took place at the cemetery. There the priest carrying a hat with Horin blessed the deceased, who was buried under a pile of straw. The mourners stood in the cemetery, they fell asleep, to get beaten or kicked to the unfortunate deceased. The game ended with mourners wailing and howling of dogs who are unaware of the echo after the witches have gotten away with it.

The Minga:

It was a habit of highlighting tell the time, because it reflected the willingness of local men to help their peers at work, such as destonque, Deschamp, planting, earthing, etc..

The homeowner sought the help of several neighbors in a day for a particular job. The assistant was paid for with abundant food and wine, but also the days were changed, ie, should help each other. Exceptionally, when the Ming was destronque, the homeowner was preparing a dance for mingueros, as a way to finish the job and to thank their neighbors.

Fishing the petty and pens:

The first was with some frequency and the boat was hidden in a certain place to catch some fish with canvas favorites, especially the mountains. That was the favorite of the locals fish and most abundant at the time.

For its part, was fishing with corrals catch fish with walls of stone or wood, which enclosed a particular place on the beach. The stone fences were erected, generally, on the shores washed by the sea. By contrast, in the bay pens were built of sticks, which were supported by strong wooden bases metrenquen calls.

The kingfish, snook and sometimes saw the fish were most often caught in the stone corral as much of sticks. The fishery products became part of the villager food or sold for cash or exchanged for other products that were missing from the house.

The curantos:

Generally, once the activity of the shellfish, the families were preparing to preparing the traditional curanto cooking seafood in better shape extracted.

The homeowner came with your older children to make a hole in the ground or to clean the already done before. Then curanto loaded with wood and stones and set fire. an hour or more continuously burning firewood, until the rocks took on a reddish color. When that happened everything was ready to cook products. Once the stones scattered building a circle with arms around them. Subsequently placed stronger seafood such as clams, snails, then added the mussels, razor clams culen and well same potatoes, vegetables, fish, and chapaleles Milcao. All this he covered with pangas and champagne. Curanto was ready after an hour or a little cooking