Chile is a South American country that occupies a narrow strip of land that spans between the Andes Mountain in the East and the Pacific Ocean in the West. The capital of Chile is Santiago and its population is close to 16 million people and almost 90% is Roman Catholic with the others are mostly Protestant; although, there are other religions practiced as well.
Drawn to fertile valleys and the coast, Native Americans settled Chile over 10,000 years ago. The early peoples can be divided into the northern people, the Araucanian people, and the Patagonian people. In 1520, explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the southern passage now named the Strait of Magellan. Later, Spanish conquistadors would clamber to Chile’s fertile lands in search of gold. Spain colonized Chile, and replaced the Incans rule in northern and central Chile. In 1818, Chile declared independence from Spain and by the 1830’s Chile emerged as an authoritarian republic.
The Spanish spoken in Chile is rather distinct, because the final syllables are not spoken, and the ‘s’ sound is not used. Regional accents are very slight, and vary very little from North to South and among social classes.
The most prolific Chilean artists are Alfredo Valenzuela Puelma, Pedro Lira, Alberto Valenzuela Llanos, and Juan Francisco Gonzalez. They are first generation students of the Chilean Academy of Art. Of these masters, Puelma and Lira were naturalist and Llanos and Gonzalez embraced modern trends.
Known as the ‘land of the poets’, Chile is home to Nobel prize winning poet, Pabulo Neruda. Neruda wrote various styles of poems including surrealist poems, historical epics, political manifestos and love poems. One of his most notable works is Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. Neruda wrote in green ink as a symbol for hope.
The role of family in Chilean life plays a central role. Extended families are highly regarded and are ingrained into everyday life. Families congregate together for celebrations and festivals and also work together when doing business ventures. As of late, a middle class is quickly developing and about half of the population is currently in this group.
Chile is a land of many festivals and many of them are based on religion. Some of the most popular ones include the Vina del Mar music festival, the Carnavol Andino Con la Fuerza del Sol, Fiestas Patrias, the Festival de la Tirana, Santiago a Mil, and We Tripantu. Chilean Independence Day is September 18th, and Fiestas Patrias is the refers to numerous celebrations and festivals that occur during this time.
Chilean cuisine is an assortment of seafood, beef, fruits, and vegetables. Some classic Chilean dishes include asado, cazuela, empanadas, humatis, pastel de choclo, pastel de papas, curanto and sopaipillas.
Chile boasts a rich musical landscape of folk, popular, and classical music. The Easter Islands have musical traditions all their own. However, folk music is the most popular musical genre. The cueca and the Tonada are important forms of Chilean music.
Etiquette and Customs
Some of the more well accepted etiquette and customs in Chile are that men will shake hands, but women general will pat each other on the shoulder. Greetings are important with a ‘buenos dias’ (good morning) or ‘buenas tardes’ (good afternoon). At night it’s ‘buenas noches’ (good evening). Maternal and paternal names are used within the family name structure with the father’s name being listed first. First names are used among close friends, but in business social settings a more formal structure is used. Direct eye contact is important when conducting business. Always exchange business cards at the beginning of a business meeting and try and have it translated into Spanish as well.
When dining, women usually sit before the men in a formal setting. Utensils are always used and don’t speak with utensils in your hands. Always wait to ensure the host is not giving a toast before sipping your drink and wine is always poured with the right hand only.
When visiting Chile, keep in mind that Chileans stand very close when conversing so personal space is different than in the United States. Don’t be offended.
