Picunche
Encyclopedia
The Picunche also referred to as picones by the Spanish, were a mapudungun speaking Chile
an people living to the north of the Mapuche
s or Araucanians (a name given to those Mapuche living between the Itata
and Toltén
Rivers) and south of the Choapa River
and the Diaguitas. Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche
, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north. During the Inca attempt to conquer Chile the southern Picunche peoples that successfully resisted them were later known as the Promaucaes
.
The Picunche living north of the Promaucaes were called Quillotanes (those living in the Aconcagua River
valley north to the Choapa) and Mapochoes
(those living in the Maipo River
basin) by the Spanish, and were part of the Inca Empire
at the time when the first Spaniards arrived in Chile.
Among the peoples the Spanish called the Promaucaes, the people of the Rapel River
valley were particularly called by this name by the Spanish. Those of the Mataquito River
valley were called the Cures. The people in the Maule River
valley and to the south were distinguished as Maules and those to the south of the Maules and north of the Itata were known as Cauqui by the Inca and Cauquenes
by the Spanish and that gave their name to Cauquenes River
.
They did not survive into the present day, having died out during the colonial period.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an people living to the north of the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
s or Araucanians (a name given to those Mapuche living between the Itata
Itata River
The Itata River flows in the Bío-Bío Region, southern Chile.Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north.-References:* . - External links :*...
and Toltén
Toltén
Toltén is a Chilean commune located at the lower flows Toltén River at the southern coast of Cautín Province which is part of Araucanía Region...
Rivers) and south of the Choapa River
Choapa River
Choapa River or El Río Choapa is a river of Chile located in the Coquimbo Region. The river rises in the Andes, at the confluence of the streams Totoral, Leiva and Del Valle. The river then flows through the town of Salamanca before it meets with its main tributary, the Illapel River...
and the Diaguitas. Until the Conquest of Chile the Itata was the natural limit between the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
, located to the south, and Picunche, to the north. During the Inca attempt to conquer Chile the southern Picunche peoples that successfully resisted them were later known as the Promaucaes
Promaucaes
Promaucaes, Promaucas or Purumaucas ; pre-Columbian Mapuche tribal group that lived in the present territory of Chile, south of the Maipo River basin of Santiago, Chile and the Itata River,...
.
The Picunche living north of the Promaucaes were called Quillotanes (those living in the Aconcagua River
Aconcagua River
For other uses, see Aconcagua .The Aconcagua River is a river in Chile that rises from the joint of two minor tributary rivers at above sea level in the Andes, Juncal river from the east and Blanco river from the south east...
valley north to the Choapa) and Mapochoes
Mapochoes
Mapochoes were the name given by the Spanish to the Picunche tribes living north of the Promaucaes in Chile, in the area of the Maipo River basin of Santiago, Chile and south of the Choapa River that had been part of the Inca Empire at the time the Spanish first came into Chile....
(those living in the Maipo River
Maipo River
Maipo River is the main river flowing through Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile. Its headwaters are on the west slope of Maipo volcano, in the Andes. Its most famous tributary is Mapocho River. The Maipo River is by far the major source of irrigation and potable water for the region.-Course:In...
basin) by the Spanish, and were part of the Inca Empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
at the time when the first Spaniards arrived in Chile.
Among the peoples the Spanish called the Promaucaes, the people of the Rapel River
Rapel River
Rapel River is a river of Chile located in the O'Higgins Region. It begins at the confluence of the rivers Cachapoal and Tinguiririca in the area known as La Junta...
valley were particularly called by this name by the Spanish. Those of the Mataquito River
Mataquito River
Mataquito is a river located in the Province of Curicó, Maule Region of Chile and formed by the union of rivers Teno and Lontué about 10 kilometers west of Curicó near the locality of Sagrada Familia and empties into the Pacific Ocean south of the town of Iloca, Licantén.- Source :*...
valley were called the Cures. The people in the Maule River
Maule river
The Maule river is one of the most important rivers of Chile and is inextricably linked to this country's pre-Hispanic times, the country's conquest, colonial period, wars of Independence, modern history, agriculture , culture , religion, economy and politics...
valley and to the south were distinguished as Maules and those to the south of the Maules and north of the Itata were known as Cauqui by the Inca and Cauquenes
Cauquenes
Cauquenes, a city and commune in Chile, is the capital of the Cauquenes Province and is located in the Maule Region.-History:According to the historical records of Alonso de Ercilla, Cauquenes was originally inhabited by an indigenous community of the Promaucaes, known as the Cauqui by the Inca or...
by the Spanish and that gave their name to Cauquenes River
Cauquenes river
The Cauquenes River is a tributary of the Perquilauquén River, and traverses Cauquenes Province, in the Maule Region of Chile. It is born in the Cordillera de la Costa, near Cauquenes. After passing to the south of the latter city it is joined by the Tutuvén River...
.
They did not survive into the present day, having died out during the colonial period.