What lovely superstitions you have!

Chiloé had a distinct feel to it compared to southern Patagonia, and definitely compared to Santiago and Viña/Valparaíso. Island life in general operates on its own time, but this island in particular has a long history of maintaining strong indigenous roots despite the years of Spanish occupation. 

One of the aspects of the history I really enjoyed learning about was the mythology that is unique to the island. Some of the frequently referenced on souvenir tchotchkeys characters include: 

El Trauco, a hideous forest-dweller who uses his magical powers of seduction to attract virgins and impregnate them; 
El Basilisco, a snake, born from the egg of a hen, who lives under houses and sucks the life from the house-dwellers;
El Coo, a witch disguised as an owl, and when spotted, means that a loved one is near death or has died;
El Camahueto, a uni-horned bull calf, born in the marshlands who destroys everything in its path as it makes its way to the sea; 
Invunches, a first-born male child kidnapped by witches. The witches immobilized the kid by breaking its leg, twisting it around on its back, and then making it the gatekeeper to the caves. Also, it has magical healing powers that the witches want; and 
(for something completely different), La Pincoya, a beautiful woman who dances. When she dances toward the sea, we have an abundance of fish. When she dances toward the land, there is famine.

I wish I had been able to speak with people who lived on the island a little bit more. What I didn't get a sense of was whether anyone in Chiloé believes in the myths, or if (as I suspect)  they are fun superstitions kept alive for tourists. Is El Trauco blamed for teenage pregnancy? Are virgins allowed to go into the woods alone? If someone sees an owl on their patio, do they mention the possible death of a loved one as casually as I might say "someone is thinking about me" if my nose itches?

Note: I still hate this blogger app and its mobile website. The photo placement caption thing doesn't work today, but it's obvious who El Trauco is, what with his intense powers of seduction and all.