El Quisco | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms    El Quisco Location in Chile | |
| Coordinates:33°23′28.71″S71°41′34.58″W / 33.3913083°S 71.6929389°W /-33.3913083; -71.6929389 | |
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Valparaíso |
| Province | San Antonio |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Alcalde | José Antonio Jofré |
| Area | |
• Total | 50.7 km2 (19.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 13 m (43 ft) |
| Population (2012 Census)[2] | |
• Total | 11,329 |
| • Density | 223/km2 (579/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 8,931 |
| • Rural | 536 |
| Sex | |
| • Men | 4,815 |
| • Women | 4,652 |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (CLT[3]) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-3 (CLST[4]) |
| Website | www |
El Quisco is aChilean city and commune inSan Antonio Province,Valparaíso Region. Located in the country's central coast, it serves as a popular summer resort for the population ofSantiago and forms part of theCoast of Poets, a cultural space named after four Chilean poets:Pablo Neruda,Vicente Huidobro,Violeta Parra andNicanor Parra. El Quisco is home toLa Casa de Isla Negra, the former house of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, which is now a museum and Neruda's burial site.
The word "quisco" refers to theEchinopsis chiloensis, a species of cactus native to the central coast of Chile. It is derived from theQuechua wordkhishka, meaning "spine."[5]
There have been important archaeological findings from thepre-ceramic period and the late ceramic period along the coast of El Quisco. El Quisco was a centre of theEl Bato [es] andLlolleo cultures [es], among others, and their presence coincided with the dates of theEl Molle culture further north.[6]
The Bato culture was established between 400 and 300 BC, and shared cultural traits with the Molle culture. Typical of this culture was the use of atembetá (a metal or stone rod used in lower-lip piercings). In addition,mortars, stones used to grind vegetables and minerals, have been found. Evidence of this group has been found in Trebulco and in La Manresa, located nearLonquén. Its peak development came in 400 to 500 AD, both on the coast and in the interior, and the culture persisted in the Preandean zone until around 900 AD.
The El Molle culture was established in Chile around 300 AD among theTransverse Valleys of the riversCopiapó andChoapa, with large migrations to the country fromBrazil, from the tropicaljungles of theChaco,Argentine pampas, and fromPeru.[7][8] The first settlements were in the interior of the country, in El Molle (in theValle de Elqui), where the first evidence was found. They mixed with existing populations and adopted some cultural elements and physical features from them. They were the predecessors of theDiaguita culture, and by the time the Spanish arrived (1492) they had already disappeared. This culture was located in what would become regions III (Atacama) and IV (Coquimbo) of modern Chile.
TheAconcagua culture spread along the coast, near the present-day resorts ofAlgarrobo, El Quisco,Llolleo,El Tabo, Las Cruces,Rocas de Santo Domingo, andCartagena.
The ceramics of these cultures are commonly called theAconcagua Salmon Type, for their orange colour with decorative designs in black paint, found in the LateAgroalfarero ("agro-potter") period of the region, between 800 and 1470, principally in pieces known aspucos, or bowls. The outer face is often a decoration representing the figure of a"Trinaurio", or whirlpool with three arms.
More recentlyPicunche people lived between two important rivers: theChoapa and theItata. They werefarmers and thus sedentary, growinggourds,maize,beans andchili pepper. Water was abundant where they lived, and the climate was hot. They raised animals, especiallyllamas andguanacos, which provided meat for food and wool for clothes. They lived in small villages, in groups of approximately 300 people. Their houses were made of mud, with roofs oftotora. About 30 people lived in each house: a father, wives, children, and other close relatives. Men gave the orders and directed the work: the highest authority was the father and after him the oldest son. Only in emergencies, especially in wars, was there a chief as a leader. Nevertheless, the villages were peaceful.[9]
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The area was part of theInca Empire, specifically ofQullasuyu. To assure their domination and introduce Inca customs, Inca sovereigns established numerous colonies ofmitimaes, farmers and peaceful craftsmen brought from diverse parts of the empire:Aymara,Quechua andAtacameño. These foreign settlers founded numerous villages with names that recall their places of origin:Limache (people ofRímac orLima), Collahue (place of theQulla people orAymara people),Pomaire and different people of Atacameño origin.
The clothes of Inca soldiers were made fromPulla Pulla (Zephyranthes párvula Killip), an annual plant of the familyAmaryllidaceae, native to the highland Andean provinces, with beautiful flowers that bloom in spring. This bloom is considered an omen of whether the agricultural year would be good or bad. The route fromLimache to Las Dichas passed through Lo Orozco, continuing to Portezuelo de Ibacache and finishing atTalagante, where other Mitimae existed. In 1430,Túpac Inca Yupanqui initiated a great military campaign that culminated in the establishment of a border at theMaule river. Ilabe, an Incanoble who commanded the invading forces, established himself in thePicunche Llollehue valley, between theMaipo river and theMapocho river. He decided to found a colony and apucará, a task he entrusted to his son,Tala Canta Ilabe.
He had the authority to namekurakas or governors, derived from that of the Inca inCusco. His mandate allowed him to establish the social, political and economic system characteristic of theInca Empire, to distribute land and community property, and initiate public works for the common good, like roads, granaries and housing. Agricultural and cattle production was sufficiently developed to allow food exports to thepukaras of the north.
The first indications of Spanish colonization in the El Quisco area date to 1570, when the Spanish family ofAlonso de Córdoba took control. Previously it was namedHuallilemu(Mapudungun: forest of oakwood), and thenEl Totoral after the manytotoras there.
After 1578, El Quisco and nearby places became bolt holes for pirates such as the EnglishmenFrancis Drake,Thomas Cavendish, andRichard Hawkins and Dutchmen likeOliver Van Noort andJoris van Spilbergen. Francis Drake probably moored hisgalleon theGolden Hind in the bay in December 1578. He travelled with two people known only by their Christian names, Christopher and Cosmas, the firstJapanese explorers to circumnavigate the globe.
At the end of the colonial era, many foreign ships already engaged in illegal trade on the Chilean coast, including English, Dutch, French and American pirates. The foreign pirates generally operated with the support of Chilean Creoles, born in Chile but of European descent,[10] saw the attempts of the Spanish authorities to interfere as one more proof of the arrogance of the colonial Spanish system.
The commune of El Quisco was incorporated on August 30, 1956, under the presidency ofCarlos Ibáñez del Campo under Statutory order Nº 12110.
According to the 2002census of theNational Statistics Institute, El Quisco spans an area of 50.7 km2 (20 sq mi) and has 9,467 inhabitants (4,815 men and 4,652 women). Of these, 8,931 (94.3%) lived inurban areas and 536 (5.7%) inrural areas. The population grew by 55.3% (3,370 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[2]
As a commune, El Quisco is a third-leveladministrative division of Chile administered by amunicipal council, headed by analcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Natalia Carrasco Pizarro.[1]
Within theelectoral divisions of Chile, El Quisco is represented in theChamber of Deputies by María José Hoffmann (UDI) and Víctor Torres (PDC) as part of the 15th electoral district, together withSan Antonio,Santo Domingo,Cartagena,El Tabo,Algarrobo andCasablanca. The commune is represented in theSenate by Francisco Chahuán Chahuán (RN) andRicardo Lagos Weber (PPD) as part of the 6th senatorial constituency (Valparaíso-Coast).
El Quisco has four sectors that are both geographically and culturally distinct:
The area is a favourite tourist destination in central Chile. One of its advantages is its short distance from Santiago. There are many residences and hotels for lodging,[11] as well as many restaurants and inns for enjoyingtypical Chilean food. Marine sports are available, includingscuba diving andswimming.
