The Huilliche (Spanish pronunciation:[wi.ˈʝi.tʃe]), Huiliche or Huilliche-Mapuche are the southern partiality of the
Mapuche macroethnic group in
Chile and
Argentina.[2] Located in the
Zona Sur, they inhabit both
Futahuillimapu ("great land of the south")[2] and, as the
Cunco or
Veliche[3][4] subgroup, the northern half of
Chiloé Island.[5] The Huilliche are the principal indigenous people of those regions.[6] According to
Ricardo E. Latcham the term Huilliche started to be used in Spanish after the second founding of
Valdivia in 1645, adopting the usage of the Mapuches of
Araucanía for the southern Mapuche tribes.[2] Huilliche means 'southerners' (Mapudungun willi 'south' and che 'people'.) A genetic study showed significant affinities between Huilliches and indigenous peoples east of the Andes, which suggests but does not prove a partial origin in present-day Argentina.[7]
During the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the mainland Huilliche were generally successful at resisting
Spanish encroachment. However, after the
Figueroa incursion of 1792 Huilliches were decisively defeated and their territory was gradually opened to European settlement beginning with the
Parliament of Las Canoas. Today, most Huilliche speak Spanish, but some, especially older adults, speak the
Huilliche language.[1]Laurelia sempervirens, known in Huilliche triwe and in Spanish as laurel, is the ritual tree of the Huilliche of Futahuillimapu.[8]
In the 1540s Spanish conquereros led by
Pedro de Valdivia arrived in
Central Chile from
newly conquered Peru. Between 1549 and 1553 the Spanish founded several cities in Mapuche territory and one in Huilliche territory:
Valdivia.[10] Albeit the death of Pedro de Valdivia in 1553 halted the Spanish conquests for a while
Osorno and
Castro were established in Huilliche territory in 1558 and 1567 respectively.[10][11] The Spanish defeat by Mapuches in the
battle of Curalaba in 1598 triggered a general uprising that led to the
destruction of all Spanish cities in Huilliche territory except Castro.[2][12]
The portion of
Futahuillimapu south of
Maipué River became largely depopulated following a period of pillaging by the Spanish and
loyalist Huilliches that had relocated from Osorno to the forts of
Carelmapu and
Calbuco.[2][13] After Valdivia was refounded in 1645, the Spanish struggled to establish a land route to the vicinities of
Chiloé Archipelago across independent Huilliche territory.[2][14][A]
There are reports in the 17th and 18th centuries of
internal conflicts among the Huilliche. This may have stunted population growth.[2]
In late 18th century Basque navigator
José de Moraleda wrote that Huilliches of Osorno were more stocky, agile and of general better appearance than the people of Chiloé.[2] Their
ponchos were described by Moraled as less pleasing ("vistosos") than those of Chiloé.[2]
In 1792 the Huilliches
were ravaged by a Spanish army led by
Tomás de Figueroa.[16] A peace parliament and treaty was signed in 1793.[16] In the treaty Huilliche property was recognized by the Spanish.[16]
19th century
Sociedad Stuttgart, a society established in the 19th century to bring
German settlers to Chile, purchased about 15 000 km2 under fraudulent conditions from Huilliches in the
Precordillera east of
Osorno.[17] This purchase was later ratified by Chilean courts and serves to illustrate how Chilean authorities ignored their own legal order that guaranteed Huilliche property.[17]
As result of the establishment of Chilean and European settlers, including Germans, around
Bueno River, Osorno Huilliches living in the
Central Valley migrated to the coastal region of Osorno.[17] In the 1920s, The economy of Osorno shifted towards cattle farming, with land ownership concentrated among the German immigrants, and many Huilliches became peasants of
haciendas.[18]
^Rumian Cisterna, Salvador (2020-09-17). Gallito Catrilef: Colonialismo y defensa de la tierra en San Juan de la Costa a mediados del siglo XX (M.Sc. thesis) (in Spanish).
University of Los Lagos.
^Ramírez Sanchez, Carlos (1988). Toponimia indígena de las provincias de Osorno, Llanquihue y Chiloé (in Spanish). Valdivia: Marisa Cuneo Ediciones. pp. 17–18.
^Hanisch, Walter (1982). La Isla de Chiloe, Capitana de Rutas Australes (in Spanish). Academia Superior de Ciencias Pedagógicas de Santiago. pp. 11–12.
^
abcConcha Mathiesen, Martín (1998). Una mirada a la identidad de los grupos huilliche de San Juan de la Costa (Thesis) (in Spanish). Universidad Arcis.
Alberto Trivero (1999); Trentrenfilú, Proyecto de Documentación Ñuke Mapu. (in Spanish)
Montt Pinto, Isabel (1971). Breve Historia de Valdivia (in Spanish). Editorial Francisco de Aguirre.
Otero, Luis (2006). La huella del fuego: Historia de los bosques nativos. Poblamiento y cambios en el paisaje del sur de Chile. Pehuén Editores.
ISBN956-16-0409-4.