Galicia, Spain, and Chile in South America

Spain & Chile

Chile, South America

Chile is a country in South America. It is officially called the Republic of Chile. According to Wikipedia (2009), Chile occupies "a long and narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains and the Pacific Ocean." It is bordered by Peru to its north, Bolivia to its northeast, Argentina to its east, and Drake Passage at its south (Wikipedia, 2009). Chile also includes the following islands, Juan Fernandez Islands, Salas y Gomez islands, Desventuradas Islands, and Easter Island. Wikipedia characterized Chile as having a varied climate "ranging from the world's driest desert -- the Atacama -- in the north, through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, to a snow-prone Alpine climate in the south, with glacier fjords and lakes." Its varied climate is attributed to its length.

Chile, said to be one of the most stable and prosperous nations in South America (Wikipedia, 2009), has a rich history. The first inhabitants of central and southern Chile were said to be migrating Native Americans, the Mapuche Indians. They inhabited the "fertile valleys and coastal areas of what is present day Chile" (Wikipedia, 2009). For a brief period of time, Chile was also under the Inca rule. The Incas occupied northern Chile for a period of time. However, the Mapuche Indians -- though lacking in state organization -- were able to successfully resist the Inca Empire from conquering them. In 1541, the Spanish came to Chile and they gradually started their conquest of Chile in 1549 led by Pedro de Valdivia (Wikipedia, 2009). At the time when Chile was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, it hosted "one of the largest standing armies in the Americas, it was one of the most militarized of the Spanish possessions, as well as a drain on the treasury of Peru" (Wikipedia, 2009). Chile fought for its independence from Spain and in 1818 it was proclaimed an independent republic. More recently, Chile suffered a military dictatorship for 17 years and is said to be "one of the bloodiest in the 20th-century Latin America that left more than 3,000 people dead and missing" (Wikipedia, 2009.).

The food in Chile is influenced by its geographic location as well as its rich history. Because Chile is stretched to cover a variety of geographical landscapes, it boosts a variety of food. According to SouthAmerica.cl (2009), "one of the highlights of Chilean Cuisine is its diversity of seafood due to its 4,270 km (2,647 miles) of coastline." Curanto en Hoyo, Curanto en Olla, Palta Reina, Almejas con Limon, Caldillo de Congrio, Ceviche, Congrio Frito, Chupe de Locos, Empanada de Mariscos, Machas a la Parmesana, Mariscal, Ostiones a la Parmesa, and Piure are all examples of Chilean seafood dishes. Chilean cuisine also has many corn-based dishes that are reflective of Chile's history as corn dishes are used in many Native American dishes (Food by Country, 2007). Humitas and Pastel de Choclo are examples of corn-based dishes. Immigrants also brought with them their cuisine and enriched Chilean cuisine. German immigrants brought with them cakes and pastries. Immigrants from Britain brought tea to Chile and have influenced Chileans' in such a way that nowadays, "Chileans serve te con leche" (Food by Country, 2007).

Galicia, Spain

Galicia, according to Wikipedia, is "an autonomous community in northwest Spain." Sometimes called Galiza, Galicia is said to be among the first kingdoms of Europe. It includes the following provinces, Lugo, a Coruna, Ourense, and Pontevedra. To its south is Portugal. Castile and Leon and Asturias are to its east. To its north and west is the Atlantic Ocean. Among tourists, Galicia is famous for "the presence of many fjord-like indentions on the coast, estuaries that were drowned with rising sea levels after the ice age" (Wikipedia, 2009). Because of its nearness to the Atlantic, Galicia experiences mild temperatures all around the year.

Galicia is said to come from the Latin name, Gallaecia and it is "associated with the name of the ancient Celtic tribe that resided above the Douro river." (Wikipedia, 2009) According to the Galicia Guide (2005), although Galicia is part of mainland Spain, its culture is "both unique and distinct from that of the rest of Spain and the core of this difference is centered upon Galicia's perceived identity as a 'Celtic', rather than a 'Latino' or 'Hispanic', sub-nation." Galicia's distinct culture is attributed to its location. Galicia was also considered to be one of the "poorer regions in Spain with an economy focused on fishing and agriculture as opposed to manufacturing" (Galicia Guide, 2005).