Kawésqar
The Kawésqar are an indigenous people traditionally inhabiting the southern coast of Chile, specifically the archipelagos and fjords of the Magallanes and Aysén regions. Their historical territory encompasses a vast and challenging environment of islands, channels, and glaciers, which deeply influenced their nomadic maritime lifestyle. For centuries, the Kawésqar were known as skilled navigators and hunters, relying on the sea for sustenance through fishing, hunting marine mammals, and collecting shellfish. They moved seasonally in canoes, following the availability of resources and seeking shelter in fjords.
Their traditional culture was characterized by a deep connection to the natural world, with a rich oral
European colonization and the subsequent encroachment on their ancestral lands led to significant disruption of their