Search
Andes > Caviahue

Pehuén or Araucaria's Legend See map

Since always Nguenechén made the pehuén to grow in large forests, but at first the tribes that inhabitated those lands did not ate the piñones because they believed they were poisonous.

They considered a sacred tree to the pehuén o araucaria and worshiped it praying in its shadow, offering gifts: meat, blood, smoke, and even they talked to it and confessed their evil deeds. The fruits were left on the floor without using them.

But it happened that in the whole region there were a few years of great scarcity of food and went hungry, especially children and elderly dying. In this situation young people marched away in search of food: amancay bulbs, herbs, berries, roots and wild animal's meat. But all returned empty-handed, it seems that God did not hear the cries of His people and people were still starving.

But Nguenechén did not abandon them, and it happened that when one of the boys became discouraged met an old man with long white beard.

- What do you want, son? -He asked
- Some food for my brothers of the tribe who are starving. Unfortunately I have not found anything.
- And so many piñones that you see in the floor under the pehuenes, are not edible?
- The fruits of the holy tree are poisonous grandfather. -answered the youth.
- Son, now on receive food as a gift from Nguenechén. Boil them to soften or toast them on fire and you will have a delicious dish. Make good collection, store them in underground sites and you will have food all winter.

Said so, the old man disappeared. The young man, following his advice, picked up many piñones and took them to the chief of the tribe, explaining what had happened. Then gathered all and the chief told what had happened by talking like this:

- Nguenechén had come down to earth to save us. We will follow his advice and we will eat the fruit of the sacred tree that belongs to him alone.

Then they ate plenty of boiled or roasted piñones, making a great party. Since then shortages disappeared and they harvested every year large quantities of piñones that kept underground and kept fresh for a long time. They also learned to make the chahuí with piñones, a fermented beverage.

Every day, at dawn with a piñon in the hand or a sprig of pehuén, they pray facing the sun: "To you we owe our life and to please you, the great, to you our father, that do not let die the pehuenes. They must spread as spread our descendants, whose life belongs to you, such as sacred trees belong to you".

Araucaria

It is the typical tree of Neuquén, ranging its habitat from Copahue to Lake Huechulafquen. It can reach 40 meters high and its shaped is like a pyramid when is young and later a huge umbrella. It has a very slow growing. Its branches are slightly curved upwards with hard, pointed leaves. Its flowering is unisexual, some trees produce pollen and others give the pineapple that is fertilized by pollen carried by wind. Once mature, each pineapple has between 200 and 300 piñones and each tree can grow about 30 pineapples.

These piñones are very nutritious and were the staple of the indigenous Pehuenche, who who consumed it boiled or roasted and produced fermented beverages with it. They also used the resin secreted from the bark of the tree as healing medicine. It was considered a sacred tree and some of its branches made the rehue (altar) in its Nguillatún (supplication to God).

Alojamiento en Caviahue

FotoApart Hotel Lago Caviahue Ubicado en la costa del Lago Caviahue nuestro stablecimiento lo espera todo el año con todos los servicios y la mejorver másTel: +54 2948 49-5074Caviahue

Viajes por la Patagonia

Foto...

Related Articles

Snow and ski slopes in Caviahue, a ski resort for the whole family 1Caviahue has the Mountain Integrated Center where you can perform various winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, hiking dog sledding, snowmobiling and snowtrack.
Footpath to the Agrio river falls There are many places that you can enjoy in Copahue Provincial Park. Among them are the Agrio river falls, the Balcón of the Agrio and the lake and crater of volcano Copahue. These trips can be done on foot, by car or on horseback.
CEARART: a complex for athletes of high performance and for rehabilitation The Center for High Performance in Height and Thermal Rehabilitation (CEARART) in Caviahue proposes to develop a program of medical-sports assistances, of physical and rehabilitation and physical-kinesthetic activities.
Araucarias: the symbol of Neuquén The araucaria is the symbol of Neuquén. This tree can survive at low temperatures and its fruit, the piñon, is very nutritious.
Caviahue - Copahue: places to enjoy winter and summer Copahue and Caviahue offer activities to enjoy both winter and summer counting ski resorts and hot springs, in addition to beautiful sceneries.
The piñón has its own festival in Caviahue The Provintial Piñon Festival is held every year in March in the town of Caviahue. At this festival you can enjoy various activities and foods.
Torchlight Parade in Caviahue Every Friday during the winter season it is performed a Torchlight Parade in the ski resort of Caviahue.
Volcano Copahue, an unforgettable excursion From Caviahue you can hire guided hikes to the crater of the volcano Copahue.
Snow Kite in the Patagonia This winter the Caviahue Ski Resort will offer as a novelty the possibility of doing Snow Kite, a sport that was already underway in the center but only by experts. Now tourists will have the possibility to practice this extreme sport with the accompaniment of guides and instructors.
Loom Festival in Cajón Chico The town of Cajón Chico, just 10 km from Caviahue, helds in March, the Loom Festival, where there are rodeo skills, exhibitions of works of regional artisans and it is done a great camper dance, among other activities.
See all Articles

Hotels see all »

Destination
Suscribite a nuestro newsletter
Hoteles | Viajes | Fotogalería | Legales | Contáctenos | Comercial
© Patagonia.com.ar 2024 | Todos los derechos reservados.