The 9 Most Important Customs And Traditions Of Chile

Chile is a country located in the extreme south of South America, whose official name is the Republic of Chile having adopted the republican, democratic, unitary and presidential mode of government. It is also a country with a long history and with cultural origins from the indigenous peoples who lived in this territory since before the arrival of European colonizers.

There are numerous customs and traditions of Chile that are deeply rooted in its culture with origins from its indigenous peoples who populated this territory for centuries, and others that come from the traditions of settlers from Europe. Among them, it is worth highlighting the celebration of the Indigenous New Year, the Harvest Festival, the Tapati Festival or the Winter Carnival, among others.

In this article we will talk about those customs and traditions of Chile that give so much cultural wealth to a country that is considered the most developed in Latin America.

The most famous customs and traditions of Chile (explained)

Among the festivities, customs and traditions of Chile, the following stand out.

1. The Indigenous New Year

The first of the customs and traditions of Chile that we are going to highlight is the celebration of the Indigenous New Year every June 24, being a ceremony that constitutes the closing of the cycle, welcoming the winter solstice and, in turn, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated throughout the entire Chilean territory.

It should be noted that there are ethnic groups such as the Quechua, Kawashkar, Mapuche, Atacameña, Aymara or Rapanui, all of them with indigenous origins, during this celebration they honor those origins through rites and ceremonies of a spiritual and Purification nature, being some of the localities of the rural areas of Southern Chile or those of Cerro de Santa Lucía, the best known in which this is carried out.

2. Tapati Party

The Tapati Festival, considered the most impressive cultural festival, It is another of the customs and traditions of Chile, and more specifically of an island in this country known as Easter Island or Rapa Nui This celebration takes place on the island throughout the month of February, when its inhabitants carry out traditional events in which dance, music and other traditions of the island take on special prominence.

Over the years, this celebration has gained international fame, which is why it currently also brings together various tourists from all over the world, being festivals that pay tribute to those traditions of the people of Rapa Nui, which makes this one of the most important traditional festivals in Polynesia.

3. The Harvest Festival

One of the most popular Chilean traditions and customs is the Harvest Festival, which is full of celebrations and activities that take place during the wine grape harvest season (between March and April), being the location where it is located. This tradition is more deeply rooted than that of the vineyards of the Central Valley of Chile.

In these festivals celebrated in honor of Chilean wine, where it is celebrated and appreciated for the productivity and fertile land which results in a good harvest, you can enjoy a tasting of local grapes, wine, typical and traditional Chilean food, and there are also activities in which people of all ages can enjoy, among which stands out the traditional trampling of the grapes and the appointment of a harvest queen, with Chilean music to liven up this event.

It should be said that this celebration is not only held in rural areas, but is also celebrated in Santiago, the capital of the country, where the Vendimia Fest is held, a festival that gives a more urban touch to the celebration of grapes.

4. The National Holidays of Chile

The National Holidays, which are celebrated throughout the month of September in commemoration of the independence of this country from the Spanish Empire, are other of the best-known customs and traditions of Chile.

The key day of these celebrations is September 18 because that same day in 1810 the emancipation process of this country began ; although the Act of Independence would not be signed until 1818.

On those days, Chileans usually take the opportunity to celebrate with their families and come to participate and/or witness various folklore events or activities that the country’s government usually organizes. On this holiday it is also a tradition that an official mass is celebrated, attended by some authorities, and a gala opera and military parades are also organized.

5. The Viña del Mar Festival

The Viña del Mar Festival is another celebration that should be mentioned among the main customs and traditions of Chile since it is considered the most important music celebration in Latin America, bringing together a multitude of artists of both national and international renown who perform in the Quinta Vergara amphitheater, in the Valparaíso Region.

This festival has been celebrated every year since 1960 having only been suspended in the 2021 and 2022 editions for health reasons.

The Viña del Mar Festival was originally focused on exhibiting popular music from Chile; However, it did not stop growing over the years until it had internationally famous artists. Over the course of 6 nights, a series of great artists perform before a difficult audience that has received the nickname “Monster of Quinta Vergara.”

6. Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul

The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is another of the customs and traditions of Chile that sailors celebrate every June 29 in the Chilean port town of Valparaíso, in commemoration of the martyrdom suffered in Rome by the apostles Paul of Tarsus and Simon Peter. This holiday is also celebrated in other countries around the world and has been officially called “the joint solemnity of Saints Peter and Saints.”

Returning to the commemoration held in the Chilean town of Valparaíso, here the sailors decorate their boats and then parade throughout the bay throughout the day, being a festivity celebrated with great energy, with wide participation and also expectation. Likewise, this celebration also takes place in other ports and coves around the entire coast of the country, since San Pedro is also the patron saint of fishermen.

7. Folklore and cueca

Among the customs and traditions of Chile, it is also convenient to mention its folk music that It is characterized by being composed of a mixture of aboriginal sounds along with those brought by the Spanish

It should be noted that since 1979, the “cueca” has been considered the national dance and it has various variations depending on the regions of the country in which it is represented. In addition, there are other traditional Chilean dances such as the trastera or the trot, which are usually performed with traditional costumes with striking textures and lots of color.

On the other hand, the customs and traditions of Chile are very diverse in the areas of dance and music, as well as having a wide variety of typical costumes and a wealth of stories and legends, so that although everything as a whole keeps quite related, we can see certain differences depending on the region of the country in which we are.

8. The Winter Carnival

In the month of July, when winter passes in the southern hemisphere, another of Chile’s main customs and traditions is celebrated, the Winter Carnival. In the Chilean town of Punta Arenas, these carnivals are celebrated in which you can enjoy a parade of troupes with colorful costumes walking at about 0 ºC of temperature which makes these parties a unique experience.

Despite the cold, thousands of people come to this event every year to witness the parade of floats along the city’s Borias Avenue. Various cultural activities are also carried out in tribute to Chilean traditions, such as plays and fireworks shows that close this celebration.

9. The Carnival of the Sun

The Carnival of the Sun is another of the customs and traditions of Chile, also being called “The Andean International Carnival with the power of Sol Inti” a celebration that takes place at the end of January every year, bringing together more than one hundred thousand people in the Chilean town of Arica and which has more than 16,000 musicians and dancers who perform different traditional dances of the country.

All of this makes the Carnival of the Sun one of the most important in South America, offering in addition to dances, accompanied by traditional music, which are represented with colorful and cheerful clothing, which as a whole makes this celebration live and enjoyed. with great joy.