Capitán Pastene facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Capitán Pastene
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Town
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Italian immigrants to Capitán Pastene in southern Chile
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 Capitán Pastene
Location in Chile
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| Country |  Chile |
| Region | Araucanía |
| Province | Malleco |
| Municipality | Lumaco |
| Foundation | 10 March 1904 |
| Population | |
| • Urban | 2,600 |
| Time zone | CLT |
Capitán Pastene is a town in Chile that was started by people who moved there from Italy. It is found in the Araucanía Region, within an area called Lumaco.
History of Capitán Pastene
Capitán Pastene was first called "Nueva Italia" (New Italy) when it was founded in 1906. The very first people to settle here were Italians. They were brought by a man named Giorgio Ricci. He had promised them good land for farming. However, when they arrived, they found themselves in an area with many forests and hills.
In 1907, the settlement's name was changed to Capitán Pastene. The first large group of settlers, about 87 families with nearly 770 people, arrived in 1904 and 1905. They came from a city in Italy called Modena. They planned to work in agriculture (farming) and forestry (working with trees).
Soon, some of these settlers moved to other nearby towns like Traiguén and Temuco. Others went even farther away, to Santiago in Chile or even to Argentina.
Most of the settlers came from a region in northern Italy called Emilia Romagna. They left behind many descendants, known as Italo-Chileans, who still live in the area today. These families have helped make the local culture richer and more diverse.
Today, about 2,600 people live in Capitán Pastene. Many of them are descendants of those first families from Modena. It's thought that over 16,000 people in the wider "Pastene" region are related to these original Italian migrants. Across all of Chile, there are about 800,000 people who have Italian ancestors, whether close or distant. This also includes some Italian-Argentines who moved to Chile.
There is a strong effort to bring back and celebrate Italian traditions in the Capitán Pastene area.
Who was Juan Bautista Pastene?
The town of Capitán Pastene is named after Giovanni Battista Pastene. He was born in 1507 and died in 1590. He was an explorer from Genoa, a city in Italy.
Juan Bautista Pastene was one of the first people to explore the Pacific Ocean in the 1500s. He worked closely with Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conqueror. When Emperor Charles V wanted to explore southern Chile, he gave this important job to Pastene.
Twin Cities Program
Capitán Pastene has been suggested to become a comune (a type of local government area) in southern Chile. If this happens, it could become a twin city with Pavullo. Pavullo is a small town near Modena in Italy.
Many of the original settlers of Capitán Pastene came from Pavullo and a nearby place called Verica. Being "twin cities" means that two towns or cities in different countries agree to be partners. They often share culture, ideas, and even visit each other.
