Abstract

The Pehuenche people of southern Chile have a tradition of seasonal migration between small valleys at the foothills of the Andes, known as invernadas (winter lands), and the forests located higher up in the hills, called veranadas (summer lands). Based on extended ethnographic fieldwork, this article analyses how Pehuenche children learn to socialize with non-human beings, such as trees and nature's spirits, in the veranada. This learning experience is achieved through sensory experiences and storytelling, which, are a central feature of their trips into the forest. The result is the development of skills, strength, and emotional attachment to the landscape and its features. The acquisition of these emotions, knowledge and skills connects them with the world of their ancestors setting them apart from non-indigenous Chileans.