Chiloe
The Isla Grande of Chiloe is Chile's most well known island and among its most striking cultural anomalies. Divided by the gentle peaks of the Coast Range, Chiloe's eastern and western coasts are two worlds apart. To the west is a wilderness of endless beaches, dune habitat, and temperate rainforests, much of which is protected as national park. To the east are the scattered islands of the Chiloé archipelago, sheltered from Pacific storms, intensely cultivated, home to a traditional culture of subsistence farmers, fishermen, and craftsmen.
The history of Chile , both human and natural, is rife with episodes of
isolation. None is more dramatic, or more readily apparent, than the case
of Chiloé. Cut off from the growing colony in Central Chile by a vast
territory of impenetrable forests and hostile Mapuche Indians, the inhabitants
of Chiloé depended directly upon the Viceroyalty of Peru in Lima for provisions.
A ship came once a year, if that, exchanging astronomically priced manufactured
goods and supplies unavailable locally - which is to say, nearly everything
- and buying for a song the fruits of the islanders' labor.
Over the course of two centuries, the Spanish population mixed with the
native, making do with what limited resources were. Meanwhile, the Jesuit
order made this corner of the earth their special responsibility, erecting
schools and over two hundred elegant wooden churches, nine of which are protected
as national monuments. A rich mythology - populated by strange trolls, sea
monsters, and eerie ghost ships - is yet another mark of Chiloe's
singular history.
Today, Chiloe balances wild, unbridled nature with one of South America 's most remarkable traditional cultures. Renowned for its seafood, its woolen handicrafts, and the warmth of its people, Chiloe is still a largely unknown destination for walking and biking, fishing, paddling and birding.
 "Palafitos de Castro, Region of Los Lagos. Chiloe Island.")
