Picunche facts for kids
The Picunche were an ancient group of people who lived in what is now Chile. Their name, "Picunche," comes from the Mapudungun language and means "North People." The Spanish explorers also called them picones.
These people lived north of the main Mapuche groups (who were sometimes called Araucanians). The Mapuche lived between the Itata River and Toltén River. The Picunche lived south of the Choapa River and the Diaguita people. The Itata River was like a natural border between the Mapuche to the south and the Picunche to the north.
Some Picunche groups in the south were known as the Promoucaes. They were famous for successfully resisting the Inca Empire when the Incas tried to conquer their lands.
Further north, other Picunche groups were called Quillotanes by the Spanish. They lived in the Aconcagua River valley, stretching north to the Choapa River. Another group, the Mapochoes, lived in the Maipo River basin. These northern Picunche groups were actually part of the Inca Empire when the first Spaniards arrived in Chile.
Among the Promaucaes, the people living in the Rapel River valley were especially known by that name. Those in the Mataquito River valley were called the Cures. People in the Maule River valley and to its south were known as Maules. South of the Maules and north of the Itata River, the Inca called them Cauqui, and the Spanish called them Cauquenes. This group gave their name to the Cauquenes River.
Sadly, the Picunche people did not survive as a separate group. Their population decreased over time. During the time when Spain ruled Chile, they slowly became part of the larger Chilean population.
The Picunche people gradually left their traditional villages, called pueblo de indios. They moved to nearby Spanish farms, known as haciendas. There, the Picunche mixed with many different indigenous groups. These groups came from places like Araucanía (Mapuche), Chiloé (Huilliche, Cunco, Chono, Poyas), and Cuyo (Huarpe). Because there were few Picunche left, and they were no longer connected to their old lands, they lost their unique identity.
Daily Life and Homes
The Picunche people were skilled farmers. Their main crops were corn and potatoes. These foods were very important for their daily meals. They lived in houses made from adobe, which is a type of sun-dried mud brick. The roofs of their homes were made from thatch, which is dried plant material like straw or reeds.
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