'We are alive and we are here': Chile's lost tribe celebrates long-awaited recognition

The Selk'nam were almost wiped out by colonisers in the 19th century, and for years their existence was denied. Now they hope to finally claim their rights as one of Chile's original peoplesWhen José Luis Vásquez Chogue travelled from Santiago to see his ancestral land in Tierra del Fuego for the first time in October 2020, he cried like never before. For thousands of years, his people, the Selk'nam, lived in the extreme south of the American continent, the most southerly occupied part of the globe. Tierra del Fuego was their home until they were persecuted, tortured and slain by invading farmers, who rewarded anyone who killed a Selk'nam. About 5,000 Indigenous people were murdered in less than 50 years, with 100 survivors remaining, estimates indicate.For the Selk'nam, the 19th century in Chile was a time of terror, though one hears little about it. Until three weeks ago, the government officially ignored the story and the destiny of this people. Not any more. On 5 September, by 117 votes in favour and one abstention, the National Congress finally recognised the Selk'nam as one of the 11 original peoples of Chile.Selk'nam people in the Alberto de Agostini national park in Tierra del Fuego, Chile, 1908 Continue reading...