Outings and excursions · Chillán
After the Pincheiras Legend
Text: Karina Jozami · Photos: Santiago Gaudio
An amusing show recreates the adventure of the Pincheira brothers in the same stage they used as a shelter back in the 1800s.
In Las Trancas Valley, situated 67 kilometers away from Chillán, there lies the Pincheiras Cave, a big cavern which has been declared historical heritage as it was the scene of singular events in the 1800s.
In those days, the Pincheira brothers -Antonio, Santos, Pablo and José Antonio- would lead an army made up by two thousand men who defended the authority of the King of Spain over America. This band of cattle rustlers terrorized the mountain range area pillaging towns, kidnapping women and asking for ransom in cash or cattle. On horseback and dressed in black, they would devastate the valleys close to Chillán and they even crossed the border into Argentina and back to Chile in order to avoid the armies.
In 1819, the Pincheira plundered Chillán during the “war to death”, the struggle of the Southern region between the realists and the booming Republic of Chile (1818 -1824).
Beyond the romantic accounts and the cruel chronicles of the famous siblings, the truth is that by 1832, General Manuel Bulnes managed to corner them and it is said that the last leader - José Antonio Pincheira- died in the confrontation, along with 200 bandits.
Only the natural shelter made up by a shallow cave located in a basalt cliff surrounded by a thick native forest and very close to a waterfall remains from their legendary adventures. Nowadays, this place is an improvised stage for a group of tourist guides to represent the life of the Pincheiras.
In addition to telling the world about their adventures, the staging includes on-horse skills and blank shooting which amaze visitors. The natural environment of the cave and the historical representation justify a halt in the tour to see this amusing attraction at Las Trancas Valley.
