Stories that make waves

Many legendary tales have Chilean seas as the backdrop: love tragedies, hidden treasure and sublime characters inspired by the salty waters of the ocean.

Myths and Legends of Chile

The sea zone: The Sea Horse

The Sea Horse

Chilean sea: exhaustless wealth

What you must know

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The sea

The sea is one of the most frequent backdrops where tales of fantasy take place.

Our long and narrow country is known for having different landscapes and climates. Together, they map three clearly separate areas: north, center and south. Each one has its own myths and legends, which are a great contribution to Chilean mythology and have also paved the way for the birth of new stories. Seas, rivers, lakes and islands are a few of the typical spots where these fantastic tales takes place.

In the north of Chile, the most important stories take place at the beaches of Arica, the Atacama desert, Caldera and Coquimbo bay. At all of these places, most stories are about mythical creatures, love and lost treasure. For example, next to the banks of the Loa rives, in Chiu Chiu, there lies the Paso del Diablo (devil’s pass). If someone walks by after midnight, the devil comes out of the river with a knife in his mouth, inviting that person to come away with him as he dances.

The Region of Valparaiso, Easter Island and the beaches of Constitucion and Cauquenes are known for stories of warlocks, mythical creatures and forbidden love. In Cauquenes, a place called Locanco beach is known for the shipwreck of an English vessel called the Jon Elder, which was carrying a shipment of gold bars onboard. Many expeditions have attempted to recover the treasure, but legends say mysterious forces have prevented them from getting near the spot where it’s located.

Most marine related tales –and the most diverse- are mainly concentrated in the south of the country. The places that are mentioned the most are the areas surrounding Concepcion, the Chiloe archipelago and the far south, mainly the provinces of Aisen and Magallanes, as well as Antarctica.

For example, in chilote mythology, most characters are aquatic beings that are able to morph.

The Pincoya is one of the most relevant divinities found here. She is a woman who represents a poetic take on the love fishermen feel for the beauty of the sea. She can also represent storms when she’s in a bad mood.

In Patagonia, the spirits known as Kawtcho and Ayayema are famous. They wander the beaches at night, causing fear among local residents. You can tell when their around because they have a foul odor.

The Happy Stone

It was a great rock that used to be at the Las Torpederas beach in Valparaiso. For many years, this place attracted people who wanted to end their lives by jumping into the sea, be it due to heartbreak, disease or financial trouble.
People christened the fateful spot the Happy Stone, but they did so ironically because for many it was the stone of the wretched. After a series of deaths occurred there, the order was given to blow it up with dynamite.

Pirate treasure

Guayacan bay (Region of Coquimbo) has become famous for this fabulous story. In 1578 it used to be visited by buccaneers and pirates that sailed the Pacific ocean. It’s thought that the crew of one of these ships hid a treasure here. Many expeditions have dug up this area, but no one has found it… until now. This story accounts a series of extraordinary events that are the foundation of many different legends.

Lovers' rock

In the beach town of Constitucion there's a stone called Lovers'Rock. Inside, you can see two outlined profiles, a man and a woman's. They were turned into stone because of a curse. It is also said that the stone has match-making powers, all couples have to do is walk under its impressive arch and they'll be married before year's end and will have a large family.

The Roca del Buey (Ox Rock)

In the bay of Valparaiso, there lies Ox Rock, a dangerous warning that rises from the sea. It is said that many accidents have occurred at this spot, including a sloop of war that doubled as a school whose staff and students consisted of French and Belgian families. In order to prevent any further tragedies, a buoy was set up around the rock, which came to be known as ox buoy, because it makes a sound similar to an ox when there are lots of waves.

PALABRAS CLAVE

"Stories that make waves"

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