The Chilote mythology or Chilota mythology is formed by the myths, legends and beliefs of the people who live in the

Chiloé Archipelago The Chiloé Archipelago (, , ) is a group of islands lying off the coast of Chile, in the Los Lagos Region. It is separated from mainland Chile by the Chacao Channel in the north, the Sea of Chiloé in the east and the Gulf of Corcovado in the s ...

, in the south of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

. This mythology reflects the importance of the sea in the life of Chilotes. Chilote mythology is based on a mixture of indigenous religions and beliefs from the natives (the Chonos and

Huilliche The Huilliche (), Huiliche or Huilliche-Mapuche are the southern partiality of the Mapuche macroethnic group in Chile and Argentina. Located in the Zona Sur, they inhabit both Futahuillimapu ("great land of the south") and, as the Cunco or Ve ...

s) that live in the Archipelago of Chiloé, and the legends and superstitions brought by the Spanish

conquistador Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...

es, who in 1567 began the process of conquest in Chiloé and with it the fusion of elements that would form a separate mythology. Chilota mythology flourished, isolated from other beliefs and myths in Chile, due to the separation of the archipelago from the rest of the Spanish occupation in Chile, when the

Mapuche The Mapuche ( , ) also known as Araucanians are a group of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging e ...

s occupied or destroyed all the Spanish settlements between the Bío-Bío River and the Chacao channel following the disaster of Curalaba in 1598.

Hierarchy of mythical creatures

The highest rank belongs to the sea serpents Tenten Vilu and Caicai Vilu, who in a legendary, titanic battle, created the Archipelago. Below Caicai Vilu is the Millalobo as the king of the seas, and his wife, the Huenchula. Their three children, the Pincoy, the prince of the sea, and the Pincoya and Sirena chilota, princesses, aid them in the work of ruling the seas. Below these are the different mythical creatures, given ranks by the Millalobo. Earthly creatures have no hierarchy.

Human Beings in Mythology

Certain people are said to have magical powers. Witches have the ability to fly and have various creatures such as the Invunche under their command. In addition there are machis, people who play an important role in Mapuche culture and religion, though their functions and characteristics for the Chilote are somewhat different.

Other creatures

Legends and mythical creatures

Myths and mythical creatures of Chiloé, in southern

include: *The '' Basilisco Chilote'' (a type of

Basilisk In European bestiary, bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a Serpent symbolism, serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. According to the ''Natural History (Pliny), Naturalis Histo ...

) *The '' Brujo Chilote'' (a type of sorcerer) *The '' Caballo marino chilote'' (a type of water horse) *The '' Caleuche'' *The '' Camahueto'' *The Cape or Skin *The ''

Carbunclo Carbuncle (; ) is a legendary species of small animal in South American folklore, specifically in Paraguay or the Mining in Chile, mining folklore of northern Chile. The animal is said to have a red shining mirror, like hot glowing coal, on its he ...

'' *The '' Chucao'' *The '' Cuchivilu'' *The '' Coñieuma'' (a double flower that screams as a child on new moon) *The '' Fiura'' * La Condená ("The Condemned") *The macabre '' Invunche'' * Chiloé (mythological origin). The legend of Ten ten Vilu, Coi coi Vilu and Origin of the Archipelago *The '' Millalobo'' *The '' Peuchen'' or '' Piguchen'' *The '' Pésame'' *The '' Pincoya'', goddess of the Chiloean Seas *The '' Pincoy'' *The Sirena chilota (a type of

Mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are ...

) *The '' Trauco''

Media

The myths from Chiloe appear in The Luke Coles Book Series by Josh Walker, a

Young Adult In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...

Urban Fantasy Urban fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy, placing supernatural elements in a contemporary urban area, urban-affected setting. The combination provides the writer with a platform for classic fantasy tropes, quixotic plot-elements, and unusual charac ...

series where the myths form the base for much of the lore in the novels.

References

* * Isabel Vidal Miranda. Folklore, mitos y leyendas del archipielago de Chiloé. Mito, 1976.

External links

* {{Chiloe Archipelago