Guangualí, Village in Los Vilos, Chile.
Guangualí is a village of fewer than 500 inhabitants in the Quilimarí River valley, reached by a road that leaves Route 5 at the Quilimarí junction, kilometre 199.7. Its income comes from avocado, olive and blueberry farming. A stoneware workshop beside the entrance square makes pieces in ochre, turquoise and green, and a neighbouring workshop carves and paints local birds in wood.
Guangualí is a Chilean locality in the commune of Los Vilos, at the southern end of the Coquimbo Region. Its name is of unclear etymology, though a Mapudungun origin has been suggested. The settlement is reached by a road that leaves the Quilimarí junction of Route 5 at kilometre 199.7 and enters the Quilimarí River valley.
Guangualí's name has no settled etymology, though a Mapudungun origin has been proposed. The village holds a rodeo and trillas, and religious processions such as the pilgrimage of the Virgen de Palo Colorado pass through the Quilimarí valley. In nearby Palo Negro, 3 km away, potters make utilitarian earthenware and crochet work is done.
To reach Guangualí, take the road from the Quilimarí crossroad at kilometer 199.7 on Route 5, which leads through the Quilimarí River valley. The terrain can become slippery during wet weather, so sturdy footwear is advisable.
Archaeological sites near the village contain rock carvings and stone mortars known as piedras tacitas, offering insights into the activities of earlier inhabitants. These prehistoric tools and artworks reveal how the area was used by earlier peoples.
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