Welcome to the Atacameño Region. Here you will find interesting information about this Chilean Indigenous People, also denominated Licán Antay People. The region contains four main subjects: People (History, Social Organization, environment), Language (Gramma, Vocabulary), Customs (Spiritual World, Rituals, Mythology) and Art. Use the Interactive Map to take an animated tour of this people´s region. The teachers and students will find contents (texts and images) that be able for Printing.
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The Andean-Christian syncretism manifests in different local ceremonies, especially at the patron saints' celebrations.
Each village has its saint, patron of the town. Along with this community protector, there are saints worshipped for their miracles. San Antonio, for example, is the llama herder's patron.
According to the local beliefs, the Virgin of Guadalupe appears in a creek that crosses the Aiquina village.
The Andean-Christian syncretism manifests in different local ceremonies, especially at the patron saints' celebrations.
Each village has its saint, patron of the town. Along with this community protector, there are saints worshipped for their miracles. San Antonio, for example, is the llama herder's patron.
According to the local beliefs, the Virgin of Guadalupe appears in a creek that crosses the Aiquina village.
Candelaria is the main festival of Caspana, even though San Lucas is the patron of the community.
The community holds the second lieutenant responsible for the organization of the festival. Women, belonging to the house of the second lieutenant, prepare the meal called "boda" (wedding), served to special guests.
These rituals, related to the annual agricultural cycle, are characterized by the Atacameno traditional rites, which have blended with Christian beliefs, constituting an expression of Andean-Christian syncretism.
Geronimo de Vivar, chronicler - secretary of Pedro de Valdivia conqueror, comments:
"They speak with the demon they take for a friend..." This description refers to the shaman practice in which he communicates with the spirit or supernatural being.
The Pataska is a spicy stew of mote (boiled maize) with charqui (salted/dried meat) and potatoes.
In the Feast of Crosses in Ayacucho, Perú, the young men cook pataska.
In Chiu Chiu, an Ancestral Atacameño town in Region II of Chile, the pataska is also prepared. The villagers believe that the pataska is part of the Antay tradition .
Pataska is a Quechua word that means "grains of maize prepared like mote that burst when is cooked".
Legend
The chronicles about the Conquest of Perú, tell us that the Inca Atahualpa was murdered by the followers of Pizarro, and his body was showed to terrify others natives in the main square of Cajamarca. On the following day, the head of the Inca disappeared. The natives belived that the head had been buried in some place of Peru, waiting for a new Inca that would growth from it.
This legend is well-known like the Inkarri.
At the present time, in the crosses of many Peruvian towns and in special in the district of Luricocha-Ayacucho there is a picture of Jesus Christ.
Prescription
Ingredients for 6 people:
·400 gr. of boiled maize.
·1 kg of groound lamb
·1 kg of Mondongo (entrails ) (cut into small pieces)
·2 roasted yellow dry red peppers
·garlic, pepper, comine and salt to taste
·fresh oregano
·parsley
·oil
·4 liters water
Preparation
Soak mote during 2 days. In a large pot with oil, frie garlic and the red peppers. When they take color, put the meats, mondongo and mote into the pot. Cover with water and let cook by 3 hours. When it is ready, add the oregano and parsley. To serve hot.
Source: Rodolfo Tafur - www.nutricionyrecetas.com