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 ( es, Archipiélago de Chiloé, , ) 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 an ...

, in the south of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

. 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 of Chile. Located in the Zona Sur, they inhabit both Futahuillimapu ("great land of the south") and, as the Cunco subgroup, the north h ...

s) that live in the Archipelago of Chiloé, and the legends and superstitions brought by the Spanish conquistadores, 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 ( (Mapuche & Spanish: )) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who s ...

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 bestiaries and legends, a basilisk ( or ) is a legendary reptile reputed to be a serpent king, who causes death to those who look into its eyes. According to the ''Naturalis Historia'' of Pliny the Elder, the basilisk of Cyrene ...

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

Camahueto The Camahueto is a legendary bull found in Chilote mythology. Originating in the Chiloé Archipelago, the bull was said to have a single horn on its forehead, similar to a unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been describe ...

'' *The

Cape or Skin A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. The ...

*The '' Carbunclo'' *The '' Chucao'' *The '' Cuchivilu'' *The '' Coñieuma'' (a double flower that screams as a child on new moon) *The ''

Fiura In the traditional Chilote mythology of Chiloé, Chile, the Trauco is a humanoid creature of small stature—similar to a dwarf or goblin—who lives deep in the forest. It has an ugly face, and legs without feet. Legend The Trauco is a myth ...

'' * La Condená ("The Condemned") *The macabre ''

Invunche In the Chilote folklore and Chilote mythology of Chiloé Island in southern Chile, the imbunche (Mapudungun: ''ifünche'', lit. "short person") is a legendary monster that protects the entrance to a warlock's cave. Description The imbunche is a ...

'' * Chiloé (mythological origin). The legend of Ten ten Vilu, Coi coi Vilu and Origin of the Archipelago *The '' Millalobo'' *The '' Peuchen'' or ''

Piguchen The ''Peuchen'' (also known as ''Piuchen, Pihuchen, Pihuychen, Pihuichen, Piguchen,'' or ''Piwuchen'') is a creature from the Mapuche mythology and Chilote mythology pertaining to southern Chile, a much feared shapeshifting creature that can inst ...

'' *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, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes asso ...

) *The ''

Trauco In the traditional Chilote mythology of Chiloé, Chile, the Trauco is a humanoid creature of small stature—similar to a dwarf or goblin—who lives deep in the forest. It has an ugly face, and legs without feet. Legend The Trauco is a my ...

Media

The myths from Chiloe appear in

The Luke Coles Book Series ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

by Josh Walker, a

Young Adult A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...

Urban Fantasy 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