Culture Project – Chile

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Chile: Cultural Project
Overview
Chile, famously known as the Republic of Chile, is a country in the continent of South America situated in a long, narrow piece of land between the Pacific Ocean Andres to the west and east respectively. The nation borders Bolivia to the northeastern part, Peru to the northern part, Argentina to the eastern part and the Drake Passage in the southern part. In size, Chile is about 1,250, 000 square kilometers of Antarctica, even though the Antarctica Treaty has suspended all the claims (Rector 32). Most notably, Chile is one of the most thriving countries in the South American region. In fact, as opposed to some of the countries in the region, it has been free of arbitrary governments and coups that have destroyed the continent- this makes it one of the most admired and important countries in the world. Apart from its stability, Chile has a rich culture, is geographically attractive, and interesting history. In this regard, this paper focuses on Chile as a country with the discussion emphasizing the geography, demographics, religion, language, history, and culture.
History
In the entire South American continent, there are a few countries with an interesting history similar to that of Chile. The origin of Chile is one that has been debated for centuries with many theories being formulated to explain how the country came to be in existence. First, according to Diego de Rosales, a Spanish Chronicler in the 17th century, the name Chile was a product of the corruption of the name Tili which was then given to a tribal chief of Picunche (Rector 45).

Another theory is directed to the resemblance of the value of the Aconcagua and that of Peru’s Casma Valley, where there existed a valley and town named Chili. Apart from its origin, the history of Chile is one that has interested many scholars. Before the Spanish colonization in 1540, Chile was formed by a group of Native Americans migrants who sought to settle in coastal areas and fertile valleys of what is today called Chile. The settlement areas from each early human occupation include Cueva del Milodon, Monte Verde, and the lava tube of the Pali Aike Crater- the settlement of the migrants led to the formation of an area that would later be known to be a significant nation in the region.
In 1520, Ferdinand Magellin, while trying to circumnavigate the world, became the first European to come to Chile. In the following years, some other Europeans such as Diego de Almagro with his band of conquistadors from Spain came to Chile from Peru in search of gold and silver. However, there was no gold or silver to be found. Instead, they discovered a rich agricultural land with various cultures that defined the lives of the people who lived there- one of the cultures was hunting. After the conquest began in 1540, the Spanish saw the potential agricultural value of the central valleys of Chile, and it immediately became part of the Spanish empire (Loveman 49). The conquest was, nonetheless, gradual and the Spanish faced numerous challenges with the major one being resistance from the people of Chile. In fact, in 1553, there was a massive Mapuche insurrection that resulted in Pedro de Valvidia’s (the leader of the Chile conquest) death as well as the obliteration of many colony’s major settlements. There were subsequent revolutions, in 1598 and 1655, with a massive revolt from the Mapuch people resulting in the Southern part of the colony being driven northward. In fact, because of the resistance, the Spanish crown decided to abolish slavery to try and calm down the hostile situation and reception they received.
All the resistance and insurrections witnessed during this time had a major goal- to gain independence from the Spanish crown. The events that led to the independence of Chile were numerous. However, the first catalyst was the enthronement of Joseph by Napoleon as the Spanish King in 1808. The actions influenced the drive by Chile for independence. A national junta called Ferdinand- successor to the dethroned King- was formed in 1810, September 18, where the regime junta of Chile declared Chile an independent nation under the monarchy of Spain. To this day, Chile celebrates its National Day on September 18 every year. After the independence, Chile gradually started to establish its borders and expand its influence in the region (Kinsbruner 66). The economy began to grow after the discovery of silver ore in Chañarcillo, and the growing trade of the port of Valparaiso which eventually led to their conflict with Peru over the maritime domination in the Pacific. Towards to end of 19th century, the Chilean government consolidated its position in the southern side intensifying its conflict with Peru. However, in 1891, the war in Chile brought about a redistribution of between the President and Congress and Chile consequently established a parliamentary style democracy.
The 20th and 21st centuries were and have been prosperous for Chile. For instance, the 20th century saw the Chilean economy partially degenerate into a system protecting the interest of the ruling oligarchy. However, the 1920s, the working and middle classes emerged and became powerful enough to elect Arturo Alessandri, a reformist president. Since then, there have been several presidents, most of whom have been opposed by the Congress. Some have been labeled as dictators. The 21st century has, however, been a remarkable century for Chile. They have managed to establish themselves as one of the most liberal and important countries in North America. From sports to tourist destinations, Chile is considered one of the best and most interesting countries to visit.
Geography
Chile is one of the longest countries in the world. It is situated in the western part of Andres Mountain as a long and narrow Southern Cone nation in the coastal part. Its estimation from south to north is over 4,300 km but only measures 350 km at its widest areas east to west making it one of the most narrow and longest nations the world has ever seen (see figure 1 below). It contains 756, 950 square kilometers of land, is situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire (Pauchard and Villarroel 319) and lies between longitudes 66 degrees and 75 degrees West and latitudes 17 degrees and 56 degrees south.
Further, Chile has a diverse climate. In the northern part, there is the Atacama Desert considered to be the world’s driest. In the center, there is a Mediterranean climate, the eastern part a humid subtropical climate, and an oceanic climate in the southern part. In fact, the nation host no less than ten main climate subtypes with four seasons including autumn from Match to May, summer from December to February, spring from September to November and winter from June to August (Pauchard and Villarroel 319). Apart from the diverse climate, the Chilean flora and fauna are distinguished by high degrees of endemism because of its distinct geography. The Atacama in the north and to the east, the Andres Mountain, are some of the obstacles that have led to the segregation of the wildlife- flora, and fauna.
Demographics
The census that was carried out in 2017 in Chile reported a population of 17, 574, 003. There has been a decrease in its rate of population growth since 1990 because of the declining rate of birth. In fact, the population is expected to reach 20.2 million people by 2050, which is a low growth rate compared to the years before 1990. Interestingly, about 85% of the population lives in urban areas with the majority living in Greater Santiago. On the basis of ethnicity, it is estimated that 52.7% of the population is white, 39.3% mestizo, and 8% Amerindian. However, there has been an additional population of African making its population diverse.
Religion
Up to 2012, 66.6% of the Chilean population aged over 15 years identified with the Roman Catholic Church, which a decrease of 70% was documented in the census carried out in 2002. 17% pledged devotion to the Evangelical church. By 2015, the major population of Chile was Christians at 68% with 55% of this population belonging to the Catholic Church and 13% belonging to the various evangelical churches, and just 7% belonging to the other religions. Atheists and Agnostics were estimated to be 25% of the population (Gómez-Barris 67). Essentially, the Chilean Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The church is separate from the government. Lastly, the government recognizes religious holidays such as Christmas, the Feast of the Virgin of Carmen, and Good Friday, among others.
Culture
Chile is identified by different cultures. Its cultures are effectively manifested in areas such as music and dance, literature, cuisine, folklore, and sports, among others. In music, there is the popular music, folkloric music, and classical music and are generated in different styles owing to the large, diverse population. The national dance in Chile is cueca (see figure 2 below). Another type of dance from the traditional Chilean song is tonada which arises from the music that was introduced by the Spanish colonists and distinguished from the cueca by transitional melodic piece and more famous melody (Gómez-Barris 71). In literature, Chile is recognized as a country of poets with the first Latin American to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature being Gabriel Mistral. However, the most famous and extensively known poet from Chile is Pablo Neruda who also received a Nobel Prize in 1971.
Further, the cuisine is also a manifestation of the country’s topographical diversity featuring an assortment of beef, seafood, vegetables, and fruits (as seen in figure 3 below). They have numerous traditional recipes which include cazuela, asado, humitas, empanadas, and curanto, among others (Gómez-Barris 76). Also, Chile is identified by folklore which reflects the cultural and demographic characteristics of the country. The folklore identifies a mixture of Amerindian and Spanish elements which manifests the different ethnicity in the nation. Sport is, also, one of the modern cultures that define Chile. The most popular sport is football evidence by the number of times they have participated in the FIFA World cups and even hosted the event in 1962. Lastly, their cultural heritage is composed of several cultural events such as crafts, visual arts, dances, cuisine, holidays, traditions, and music. Also, the cultural heritage comprises of the ancient buildings symbolizing the great architectural and artistic works of the Chileans (as seen in figure 4 below). In fact, they celebrate their cultural day in May each year.
Conclusion
Chile has come a long way. From being colonized by the Spanish empire to gaining independence to form a stable and prosperous economy, it truly should be commended. As mentioned above, the leadership of the nation is truly respected in the area because of the years of peace in the country. Like most of the countries around Chile, they have not been affected by coups and wars which make them one of the well-governed countries in South America.
Works Cited
Gómez-Barris, Macarena. Where memory dwells: Culture and state violence in Chile. Univ of California Press, 2009.
Kinsbruner, Jay. Chile: a Historical Interpretation: A Historical Interpretation. Harper & Row, 1973.
Loveman, Brian. Chile: The legacy of Hispanic capitalism. Oxford University Press, USA, 2001.
Pauchard, Anibal, and Pablo Villarroel. “Protected areas in Chile: history, current status, and challenges.” Natural Areas Journal 22.4 (2002): 318-330.
Rector, John Lawrence. The history of Chile. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003.
Figures

Figure 1: Map of Chile Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chile/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x9662c5410425af2f:0x505e1131102b91d?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjpgdmg5IDZAhUHWRQKHTbXClUQ8gEIJj
Figure 2: Cucae dance retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=cueca+chilean+dance&biw=1366&bih=613&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=WfTFIsJVhbHaMM%253A%252CE4eN-J0-M0sxCM%252C_&usg=__A7aMfXGBoYt3n4b0yE3NLHmLApc%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj45uXR5IDZAhVFNxQKHVvvAIUQ9QEINjAE#imgrc=WfTFIsJVhbHaMM:

Figure 3: Food culture retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=Chilean+seafoods&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjarvSM5YDZAhUMVxQKHWf6AiAQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=613#imgrc=QkTi04T5tOmRhM:

Figure 4: Architectural work retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile#/media/File:Cerro_Concepcion.jpg