Kaweshkar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. (help, get involved!)
Any unsourced material that has been or is likely to be challenged may be removed at any time.
This article has been tagged since September 2006.

Kaweskar (also Alacaluf, 'western men with mussell-shell knives'; Halakwulup, Kawesqar) South American Indian people, almost extinct, living chiefly in the vicinity of Racion sd., Chile. Formerly they were much more numerous, southward from the Gulf of Penas to Brecknock Pen., Tierra del Fuego, including the Strait of Magellan. Now in Puerto Edén, 10 Aksanas speakers (1996).

The Alacaluf do not establish permanent settlements, they built huts of skin or tree bark. The nuclear family of husband, wife and unmaried children is the basic unit. Their customs were basically coastal, in search of shellfish, sea mammals (using canoes and harpoons) and birds.

According to the census of 1973 there are 47 Alacaluf people in Puerto Edén (Port Eden) and 3 in Seno Skyring, although many of them are half-breeds.

Other tribes: Adwipliin, Lecheyel, Yequinahue (Yequinahuere), Enoo (Pešera), Caucahue.