Greetings from Chiloé Island, Chile, where the fast-moving tides are part of local lore

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR’s international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

The tides move so quickly on the island of Chiloé that they are part of the local lore.

This is an island just north of Patagonia, known for its changing weather and tales of witches.

I noticed many stores sold images of witches, so I asked a friend, Chilean anthropologist Alejandra Leighton, to explain why. The story she told reminded me of this picture showing low tide outside our hotel in the town of Castro.

A Spanish cartographer, José de Moraleda y Montero, challenged a local sorceress named Chillpila to a duel in the 18th century. Chillpila won by making the tide recede so quickly that Moraleda’s ship ran aground — and for that feat, she won a book of sorcery. Alejandra says the legend even came up in a famous Chiloé witch trial in 1880.

It’s magical today to watch the tides flow in and out under the colorful houses on stilts. The only witches you may find are in gift shops and books — though Alejandra may know a few real ones on the island. 

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