The 9 most important customs and traditions of Chile

Chile is a country located in the extreme south of South America, whose official name is the Republic of Chile having adopted as a form of government the republican, democratic, unitary and presidentialist. It is also a country with a long history and cultural origins stemming from the indigenous peoples who inhabited this territory since before the arrival of the European colonizers.

There are numerous customs and traditions of Chile that are deeply rooted in its culture with the origins of its peoples. indigenous people who populated this territory for centuries, and others that come from the traditions of the settlers from Europe. These include the celebration of the Indigenous New Year, the Harvest Festival, the Tapati Festival or the Winter Carnival, among others.

In this article we will talk about these customs and traditions of Chile that give so much cultural richness to a country that is considered the most developed in Latin America.

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The most famous customs and traditions of Chile (explained)

Among the festivities, customs and traditions of Chile, the following stand out.

1. The Indigenous New Year

The first of the customs and traditions of Chile that we are going to highlight is the celebration of the Indigenous New Year every June 24, being a ceremony that constitutes the closing of the cycle, welcoming the winter solstice and, in turn, the Day of the Indigenous Peoples is celebrated throughout the entire Chilean territory.

It should be noted that there are ethnic groups such as the Quechua, Kawashkar, Mapuche, Atacameña, Aymara or Rapanui, all of them with indigenous origins, during this celebration they honor those origins through rites and ceremonies of a spiritual nature and of Purification being some of the localities of the rural areas of the South of Chile or in those of the Cerro de Santa Lucía, the best known in which this is performed.

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2. Tapati Party

The Tapati Festival, considered as the most impressive cultural festival, It is another of the customs and traditions of Chile, and more specifically of an island of this country known as Easter Island or Rapa Nui. This celebration takes place on the island throughout the month of February, when its inhabitants perform traditional acts in which dance, music and other traditions of the Island.

Over the years, this celebration has gained international fame, which is why it currently also brings together various tourists from all over the world, Being a festival in which homage is paid to those traditions of the Rapa Nui people, which makes this one of the most important traditional festivals of the Polynesia.

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3. The Harvest Festival

One of the most popular Chilean traditions and customs is the Harvest Festival, which is full of celebrations and activities that take place during the harvest. harvest season of the wine grapes (between March and April), being the location where this tradition is most deeply rooted that of the vineyard of the Central Valley of Chili.

In these festivities celebrated in honor of Chilean wine, where productivity and fertile land are celebrated and appreciated, which results in a good harvest, you can enjoy a tasting of grapes from the area, wine, typical and traditional food from Chile, and there are also activities in which you can enjoy people of all ages, among which the traditional trampling of the grapes and the appointment of a queen of the grape harvest stand out, with Chilean music that enlivens this event.

It should be said that this celebration is not only held in rural areas, but is also celebrated in Santiago, the capital of the country, where the Vendimia Fest is celebrated, a festival that gives a touch to the celebration of the most urban.

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4. The National Holidays of Chile

The National Holidays, which are celebrated throughout the month of September in commemoration of the independence of this country from the Spanish Empire, are other customs and traditions of Chile more acquaintances.

The key day of these celebrations is September 18 because that same day in 1810 the emancipation process of this country originated.; although the Act of Independence would not be signed until the year 1818.

On those days, Chileans usually take the opportunity to celebrate with their families and come to participate and/or witness various events or folklore activities that are usually organized by the government from the country. On this festivity it is also a tradition that an official mass is celebrated to which some authorities attend and a gala opera and military parades are also organized.

5. The Vina del Mar Festival

The Viña del Mar Festival is another celebration that should be mentioned among the main customs and traditions of Chile since it is considered the most popular music celebration. in Latin America, bringing together a multitude of nationally and internationally renowned artists who perform at the Quinta Vergara amphitheater, in the Region of Valparaiso.

This festival has been celebrated every year since 1960, having only been suspended in the 2021 and 2022 editions for health reasons.

The Viña del Mar Festival was originally focused on exhibiting popular music from Chile; however, it did not stop growing over the years until it had internationally famous artists. Throughout 6 nights, a series of great artists participate before a difficult audience that has received the nickname "Monster of Quinta Vergara".

6. Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is another of the customs and traditions of Chile that sailors celebrate every June 29 in the Chilean port town of Valparaíso, in commemoration of the martyrdom suffered in Rome by the apostles Paul of Tarsus and Simon Peter. This holiday is also celebrated in other countries around the world and has been officially called "the joint solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul".

Returning to the commemoration held in the Chilean town of Valparaíso, here the sailors decorate their boats and then parade throughout the day around the bay, being a festivity celebrated with great energy, with a wide participation and also expectation. Likewise, this celebration also takes place in other ports and coves around the entire coast of the country, since San Pedro is also the patron saint of fishermen.

7. folklore and cueca

Among the customs and traditions of Chile it is also convenient to mention its folk music that It is characterized by being composed of a mixture of aboriginal sounds along with those that were brought by the Spanish..

It should be noted that since 1979, the "cueca" has been considered the national dance and it has several variations depending on the regions of the country in which it is represented. In addition, there are other traditional Chilean dances such as the trastera or the trote, which are usually performed with traditional costumes with striking textures and a lot of color.

On the other hand, the customs and traditions of Chile are very diverse in the fields of dance and music, as well as having a wide variety of typical costumes and a wealth of stories and legends, so that although everything as a whole is quite related, we can see certain differences depending on the region of the country in which we are let's find.

8. the winter carnival

In the month of July, when winter passes in the southern hemisphere, another of Chile's main customs and traditions is celebrated, the Winter Carnival. In the Chilean town of Punta Arenas, these carnivals are celebrated in which you can enjoy a parade of comparsas with colorful costumes walking around at a temperature of around 0ºC, which makes these parties a unique experience.

Despite the cold, thousands of people come to this event every year to witness the parade of floats along Borias Avenue in the city. Various cultural activities are also carried out in homage to Chilean traditions such as plays and fireworks shows that close this celebration.

9. The Carnival of the Sun

The Carnival of the Sun is another of the customs and traditions of Chile, being also known as “The International Andean Carnival with the force of the Sun Inti”, a celebration that takes place at the end of January every year, bringing together more than one hundred thousand people in the Chilean town of Arica and which has more than 16,000 musicians and dancers who perform different traditional dances from the country.

All this makes El Carnaval del Sol one of the most important in South America, offering, in addition to dances, accompanied by music traditional, which are represented with colorful and cheerful clothing, which makes this celebration as a whole lived and enjoyed with great joy.