Purén
Encyclopedia
Purén is a city and commune in Malleco Province of Araucanía Region
, Chile
. It is located in the west base of the Nahuelbuta mountain range
(650 km. south of Santiago). The economical activity of Purén is based in forest exploitation and agriculture. The most characteristic product of Purén is the white strawberry
which is one of two species of strawberry that were hybridized to create the modern garden strawberry
.
In Mapuche
language or Mapudungun
Purén means swampy place.
, almost in the center of the northwest part of the valley of Purén, a little more than a kilometer from the left bank of the Purén River
in the Purén valley and about six kilometers to the northeast of the present city of Purén.
This fort was abandoned on the death of Pedro de Valdivia but was reoccupied by García Hurtado de Mendoza, after a bitter campaign with the followers of Caupolicán
on May 20, 1558. Guanoalca
captured and burned it in 1586. Rebuilt by Governor Alonso de Sotomayor
in 1589, it received some improvements but it was always harassed by the Mapuche
, and was again abandoned and set afire by them in the 1598 Mapuche rising that exploded after the Disaster of Curalaba
.
The fort was again restored under the governor Alonso Garcia Ramon in 1609, lost again and rebuilt by governor Alonso de Ribera
in 1613 and was again abandoned in 1624. So it remained until 1665, when governor Francisco de Meneses Brito
again built a fort there and repopulated it. Finally in 1723, Governor Gabriel Cano de Aponte
decided to order its demolition and permanent abandonment, moving the garrison to the fort of San Carlos de Purén called Purén Nuevo (New Purén), on the Bio Bio River. The old ruins continued to be known as Old Purén and those ruins were still to be seen in the 1890s.
On November 24, 1868, a new fort was built in Puren, located at 38° 04' Lat. and 73° 06' Lon., between the brooks Nahuelco and Panqueco, a little more than three kilometers from the south or right bank of the upper part of the Purén River. To the northeast on the opposite shore of the Purén river is the location that the old Purén fortress occupied. A village had sprung up next to the fort by the 1890s following the occupation of Araucania.
Recently, some pre-Hispanic proto-pyramid
s or mound
s have been discovered near Purén.
of the National Statistics Institute
, Purén spans an area of 464.9 sqkm and has 12,868 inhabitants (6,408 men and 6,460 women). Of these, 7,604 (59.1%) lived in urban area
s and 5,264 (40.9%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population fell by 7.5% (1,049 persons).
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Benigno Quiñones Lara (PDC
).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Purén is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Gonzalo Arenas (UDI) and Mario Venegas (PDC) as part of the 48th electoral district, (together with Angol
, Renaico, Collipulli
, Ercilla
, Los Sauces
, Lumaco
and Traiguén
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Alberto Espina Otero (RN
) and Jaime Quintana Leal (PPD
) as part of the 14th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-North).
Araucanía Region
The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south....
, Chile
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...
. It is located in the west base of the Nahuelbuta mountain range
Nahuelbuta Range
The Nahuelbuta Range or Cordillera de Nahuelbuta is a mountain range in Bio-Bio and Araucania Region, southern Chile. It is located along the Pacific coast and forms part of the larger Chilean Coast Range...
(650 km. south of Santiago). The economical activity of Purén is based in forest exploitation and agriculture. The most characteristic product of Purén is the white strawberry
Fragaria chiloensis
Fragaria chiloensis, the beach strawberry, Chilean strawberry, or coastal strawberry, is one of two species of strawberry that were hybridized to create the modern garden strawberry . It is noted for its large berries. Its natural range is the Pacific Ocean coasts of North and South America, and...
which is one of two species of strawberry that were hybridized to create the modern garden strawberry
Garden Strawberry
The garden strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa, is a hybrid species that is cultivated worldwide for its fruit, the strawberry. The fruit is widely appreciated for its characteristic aroma, bright red color, juicy texture, and sweetness...
.
In 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...
language or Mapudungun
Mapudungun
The Mapuche language, Mapudungun is a language isolate spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people. It is also spelled Mapuzugun and sometimes called Mapudungu or Araucanian...
Purén means swampy place.
History
San Juan Bautista de Purén was a fort founded by Juan Gomez de Almagro, by order of the Governor of Chile Pedro de ValdiviaPedro de Valdivia
Pedro Gutiérrez de Valdivia or Valdiva was a Spanish conquistador and the first royal governor of Chile. After serving with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders, he was sent to South America in 1534, where he served as lieutenant under Francisco Pizarro in Peru, acting as his second in command...
, almost in the center of the northwest part of the valley of Purén, a little more than a kilometer from the left bank of the Purén River
Puren River
-References:*...
in the Purén valley and about six kilometers to the northeast of the present city of Purén.
This fort was abandoned on the death of Pedro de Valdivia but was reoccupied by García Hurtado de Mendoza, after a bitter campaign with the followers of Caupolicán
Caupolican
Caupolicán was a Toqui, the military leader of the Mapuche people of Chile, that commanded their army during the first Mapuche rising against the Spanish conquistadors from 1553 to 1558....
on May 20, 1558. Guanoalca
Guanoalca
Guanoalca was the Mapuche Toqui elected in 1586 following the death in battle of the previous toqui Cadeguala, killed in a duel with the garrison commander of the Spanish fort at Puren in 1586...
captured and burned it in 1586. Rebuilt by Governor Alonso de Sotomayor
Alonso de Sotomayor
Alonso de Sotomayor y Valmediano was a Spanish conquistador from Extremadura, and a Royal Governor of Chile.-Early life:He was born in Trujillo, in the province of Extremadura, the son of Gutiérrez de Sotomayor e Hinojosa and Beatriz de Valmediano...
in 1589, it received some improvements but it was always harassed by 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...
, and was again abandoned and set afire by them in the 1598 Mapuche rising that exploded after the Disaster of Curalaba
Disaster of Curalaba
The Disaster of Curalaba is the name given to a battle between Spanish conquerors led by Martín García Óñez de Loyola and Mapuche people led by Pelantaru on a place called Curalaba , in southern Chile...
.
The fort was again restored under the governor Alonso Garcia Ramon in 1609, lost again and rebuilt by governor Alonso de Ribera
Alonso de Ribera
Alonso de Ribera de Pareja was a Spanish soldier and twice Spanish royal governor of Chile .-Early life:...
in 1613 and was again abandoned in 1624. So it remained until 1665, when governor Francisco de Meneses Brito
Francisco de Meneses Brito
Francisco de Meneses Brito was Royal Governor of Chile between 1664 and 1667.-Sources:...
again built a fort there and repopulated it. Finally in 1723, Governor Gabriel Cano de Aponte
Gabriel Cano de Aponte
Gabriel Cano de Aponte was a Spanish soldier who served as Royal Governor of Chile from 1717 to 1733. His administration was the longest of all Colonial Governors and the second longest in the history of Chile after the administration of General Augusto Pinochet, who surpassed him by some eight...
decided to order its demolition and permanent abandonment, moving the garrison to the fort of San Carlos de Purén called Purén Nuevo (New Purén), on the Bio Bio River. The old ruins continued to be known as Old Purén and those ruins were still to be seen in the 1890s.
On November 24, 1868, a new fort was built in Puren, located at 38° 04' Lat. and 73° 06' Lon., between the brooks Nahuelco and Panqueco, a little more than three kilometers from the south or right bank of the upper part of the Purén River. To the northeast on the opposite shore of the Purén river is the location that the old Purén fortress occupied. A village had sprung up next to the fort by the 1890s following the occupation of Araucania.
Recently, some pre-Hispanic proto-pyramid
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
s or mound
Mound
A mound is a general term for an artificial heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. The most common use is in reference to natural earthen formation such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. The term may also be applied to any rounded area of topographically...
s have been discovered near Purén.
Demographics
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, Purén spans an area of 464.9 sqkm and has 12,868 inhabitants (6,408 men and 6,460 women). Of these, 7,604 (59.1%) lived in urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 5,264 (40.9%) in rural areas. Between the 1992 and 2002 censuses, the population fell by 7.5% (1,049 persons).
Administration
As a commune, Purén is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal councilMunicipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Benigno Quiñones Lara (PDC
Christian Democratic Party
Christian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Purén is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Gonzalo Arenas (UDI) and Mario Venegas (PDC) as part of the 48th electoral district, (together with Angol
Angol
Angol is a commune and capital city of the Malleco Province in the Araucanía Region of southern Chile. It is located at the foot of the Nahuelbuta Range and next to the Vergara River, that permitted communications by small boats to the Bío-Bío River and Concepción. This strategic position explains...
, Renaico, Collipulli
Collipulli
Collipulli is a city and commune forming part of the Malleco Province in the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. Its name means "coloured lands" in the Mapuche language spoken in the area. It has a population of 22,354 and an area of...
, Ercilla
Ercilla, Chile
Ercilla is a Chilean town and commune in the Malleco Province, Araucanía Region. Its name is a tribute to Alonso de Ercilla, who wrote La Araucana.-Demographics:...
, Los Sauces
Los Sauces
Los Sauces is a Chilean town and commune in the Malleco Province, Araucanía Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Los Sauces spans an area of and has 7,581 inhabitants . Of these, 3,638 lived in urban areas and 3,943 in rural areas...
, Lumaco
Lumaco
Lumaco is a town and commune in Malleco Province in the Araucanía Region of Chile. Its name in Mapudungun means "water of luma". Lumaco is located to northeast of Temuco and from Angol...
and Traiguén
Traiguén
Traiguén is a Chilean city and commune in the Malleco Province, Araucanía Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Traiguén spans an area of and has 19,534 inhabitants . Of these, 14,140 lived in urban areas and 5,394 in rural areas...
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Alberto Espina Otero (RN
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
) and Jaime Quintana Leal (PPD
Party for Democracy
The Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
) as part of the 14th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-North).
Sources
External links
- The Puren Website http://www.puren.cl
- Encarta: Map of Puren