Myths and Legends of Chiloe Island

Chiloe is one of the areas richest in myths and legends, its rainy and cold nature and the sea are the perfect place where they originate stories told again and again in the winter nights fris.Some of the most popular are:


The Pincoya: It is an extraordinarily beautiful mermaid (slightly tanned white skin and blond hair), whose job is to protect the seas, sow and rescue the castaways.

When Pincoya dance facing the ocean, is warning that there will be plenty of fish and shellfish. And when he does facing the coast, there will be shortages.


The trauco: In the forests of Chiloé Trauco lives, which is a dwarf (measuring about 90 cm high) that has short legs deformed and crooked ending in an imitation of heel and foot without toes. The latter does not walk very well so it uses a cane called pahueldún, as twisted as him, and with which he was identifiers.

Despite being a dwarf, is very strong and used a stone ax, with which he announces his presence by hitting the trees. He wears a suit and a conical hat quilineja, wild fiber fabric.

He lives in hollow trees or in natural caves, eating berries. However, the Trauco is a character evil, as it is installed on a log and appears as a person falls on it the curse of his eyes or the nefarious power of his breath.

If the victim is a man, is kindled with him, causing neck sprains, and other evils tullimiento with intent to cause deformities similar to those of his own appearance.

If the person caught is a female, this breaks your instincts and tries to seduce her passion whatever and then abuse it. Thus, recourse to magic, throwing it into a pleasant sleep, in which he will appear as a handsome suitor.



The Caleuche: Is a ghost ship used by sorcerers to navigate at night both on the sea surface and bottom of this at high speeds and very bright.
On board are made parties and dances, whose noise and music attracts sailors who roam the islands making them slaves to put at your service.

It is known that the powers that be on board are sorcerers who mainly engaged in supplying contraband traders who have a covenant with them.

The ship has the peculiarity that when pursued turns into rock, tree trunk or simply go unnoticed and algae to avoid capture.

The punishment for those looking to leave Caleuche mouth is crooked, her face to the back or kill them suddenly.