Ayquina, Indigenous settlement in Calama Region, Chile.
Ayquina is an indigenous community in the Calama Region where residents practice agriculture on terraced fields along the Salado River Canyon. The settlement sits at about 2980 meters elevation and demonstrates how farming methods have adapted to steep mountain terrain.
The community developed from pre-Columbian times and still preserves traditional construction using limestone walls and thatched roofs. These building methods have remained largely unchanged across many generations in this mountain region.
The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the main religious gathering that brings residents together each year. These ceremonies connect the community to spiritual traditions that shape daily life.
The best time to visit is during the drier months when access to the terraced fields is easier. It helps to arrange transportation from Calama ahead of time and bring appropriate clothing for the high altitude and variable weather conditions.
Residents use irrigation techniques that account for the aridity of the Atacama Desert and have been passed down since pre-Columbian times. These methods allow farming to thrive in one of the driest regions on Earth.
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