Society & Mapuche

The Chilean Society

Chile is South America's model student — at least on paper: The country has the highest per capita income, the lowest corruption rate, and the best education system on the continent. But beneath the shiny surface, there is unrest: Chile is one of the most unequal countries in the world. The social unrest of 2019 (Estallido Social) showed how wide the gap between rich and poor is.

Chileans are friendly but more reserved than other Latin Americans — a legacy of European immigration and the country's long isolation. Once they warm up, however, they are incredibly warm-hearted, hospitable, and humorous. Humor in Chile is dark, dry, and quick — like the Pisco Sour.

Clasismo — Chile's Open Secret

The biggest social issue in Chile is Clasismo — class consciousness and social discrimination deeply rooted in Chilean society. Chileans can determine the social class of their counterpart based on their surname, school, neighborhood, and even the way they speak. The upper class attends private schools (Colegios Particulares), lives in the eastern neighborhoods of Santiago (Las Condes, Vitacura, Lo Barnechea), and speaks a more elegant Spanish. The lower class lives in the west and south of the city, attends public schools, and has significantly fewer opportunities for advancement.

This class system is the backdrop for the social protests of 2019 (Estallido Social), which began in response to a metro fare increase but quickly became the largest protest movement since the end of the dictatorship. “No son 30 pesos, son 30 años" (It's not about 30 Pesos, it's about 30 years) became the slogan — 30 years of pent-up inequality since the return to democracy.

Once — Chile's Mysterious Dinner

One of Chile's most surprising traditions: The Once (literally: “Eleven", pronounced “ON-seh"). Instead of a proper dinner, many Chilean families sit down in the early evening (5–7 pm) for a kind of extended teatime: Bread (Pan Amasado, often homemade), avocado, jam, cheese, ham, and tea. There are two theories about the origin of the name: Either from the time (11 o'clock, as a traditional snack time) or — the more popular version — because “Aguardiente" (a type of liquor) has eleven letters and workers hid their secret afternoon drink behind the euphemism “Let's have an Once".

For German travelers, the Once is a familiar concept — it resembles the Abendbrot. In many hostels and simple hotels, an Once is served instead of a warm dinner.

Fiestas Patrias — The Soul of the Nation

The Fiestas Patrias on September 18–19 are Chile's most important celebration — more important than Christmas, many Chileans say. The festivities unofficially last a whole week (the “Semana Dieciochera") and consist of:

• Fondas: Temporary festival huts (like German beer tents) in every park and square in the country. Here, people dance, eat, and drink
• Cueca: The official national dance — a couple dance with handkerchiefs, representing the rooster's courtship of the hen. All schoolchildren learn it
• Asado: Grilling is a must. Whole neighborhoods come together
• Empanadas: Mandatory on September 18 — the Empanada de Pino is the symbol of the national holiday
• Chicha and Terremoto: Traditional drinks. The Terremoto (earthquake cocktail) made from sweet Pipeño wine with pineapple ice cream and grenadine tastes harmless but hits hard
• Elevantamiento de Volantines: Kite flying — children and adults fly colorful kites

Anyone in Chile during the Fiestas Patrias experiences the country at its most authentic — but beware: Everything is closed, buses and flights are fully booked, and prices rise.

The Mapuche — Chile's Indigenous Heritage

The Mapuche are Chile's largest indigenous group with 1.7 million people (about 10% of the population) — a people who have preserved their identity despite centuries of oppression. Their name means “People of the Earth" (Mapu = Earth, Che = People).

The relationship between the Mapuche and the Chilean state remains tense: After independence, the Mapuche territory in the south was violently colonized (Ocupación de la Araucanía, 1861–1883), and land conflicts continue to smolder. In the Araucanía region (around Temuco), there are regular protests, land occupations, and clashes. The Chilean military long used the Anti-Terrorism Law against the Mapuche — a legacy of the Pinochet dictatorship, which has been internationally criticized.

The Mapuche culture lives on in their language (Mapudungun), their medicine (Machis — shamanic healers who practice plant medicine and spiritual rituals), their music (Trutruca — a long wind instrument, Kultrun — a ceremonial drum), their textiles (geometric patterns with symbolic meaning), and their cosmology, which emphasizes a deep connection to the earth and its cycles.

For travelers: In the Lake District around Pucón and Temuco, Mapuche communities increasingly offer cultural experiences — traditional cooking, weaving workshops, guided walks through sacred forests, and Ngillatun ceremonies (by invitation). This respectful form of cultural tourism is organized by the communities themselves and is a wonderful way to learn about Chile's indigenous heritage.

German Immigrants in Chile

From 1846, the Chilean government actively promoted German immigration to the south of the country — then still uninhabited and covered by dense rainforest. Thousands of Germans, Austrians, and German-Swiss settled between Valdivia and Puerto Montt and left a lasting impact on the region:

• Architecture: Half-timbered houses in Frutillar, Puerto Varas, and Valdivia reminiscent of southern German villages
• Beer: The Kunstmann brewery in Valdivia, founded in 1851, remains one of the best in Chile. The Cervecería D'Olbek (Osorno) also has German roots
• Cakes: The “Küchen" (cakes) of the region — apple strudel, crumble cake, Black Forest cake — are a living legacy of the immigrants
• Language: In some families, German is still spoken. The “German School" (Colegio Alemán) exists in several cities
• Agriculture: The German settlers cleared the rainforest and turned the region into Chile's breadbasket. Dairy farming and cheese production also have German roots

The dark side: Among the immigrants was Paul Schäfer, a German ex-Nazi who founded the Colonia Dignidad in 1961 — a secluded sect in southern Chile that became a torture facility during the Pinochet dictatorship. Hundreds of Chileans were tortured and murdered there. Schäfer was arrested in Argentina in 2005 and died in Chilean custody in 2010. The Netflix film “Colonia" (2015) starring Emma Watson tells part of this story.

Immigration & Modern Society

Since the 2010s, Chile has experienced a new wave of migration: Haitians, Venezuelans, Colombians, and Peruvians now make up almost 10% of the population. This migration has changed Chilean society — new cuisines (Haitian, Venezuelan food), new music, new cultures. At the same time, there are tensions: Racism and discrimination against dark-skinned migrants are a growing problem.

Earthquakes — Living with Nature

Chile is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is the most earthquake-prone country in the world. The strongest earthquake ever recorded (9.5 on the Richter scale) occurred in 1960 in Valdivia — it triggered a tsunami that reached as far as Japan. The 2010 quake (8.8) hit central Chile and caused massive damage. Chileans live with earthquakes like Germans with rain — calmly and prepared. Buildings are constructed to be earthquake-resistant, and every child learns emergency procedures at school.

Earthquake Safety Guidelines

• During the quake: Seek shelter under a stable table or door frame. DO NOT run outside (debris!). Stay calm
• After the quake: Leave the building. If on the coast: IMMEDIATELY move to higher ground (tsunami risk!). In Chile, the rule is: If the quake is so strong that you can't stand → take tsunami warnings seriously
• Hotels: Every hotel has evacuation plans and marked exits. Familiarize yourself with them upon check-in