Beagle Channel in the Patagonia

Beagle Channel in the Patagonia

February 07, 2013

A LEGEND OF LOVE IN SPANISH AMERICA - RAYENANTÚ AND RAYENCURA



LET'S START!



My Blog group has sent out a new prompt for the Blog Hop called “Finish the Sentence Friday”  (FTSF), as follows:



The most memorable Valentine’s Day I ever had was…



To which I will add my own shocking contribution:



The most memorable Valentine’s Day I ever had was…  NONE AT ALL!



Incredible? Well, the thing is that when I was of an age to be romanced by somebody, I lived in a country that did not really celebrate this festivity all that much. I still live there, it’s my country, CHILE in South America, and I must say things have changed over the last few years.


Good, you say?  I’m not so sure about that, because it has been commercialized out of all proportions and now it’s a huge selling-fest just like Halloween. I’m not happy about this!


However, this blog is about Spanish America, so I’m going to write about a love story that has endured in popular legends for several centuries.  


So here we go!





A LEGEND OF LOVE IN SPANISH AMERICA. RAYENANTU AND RAYENCURA.




The scene is the Biobío Region in Central Chile, on the shores of the mighty Biobío River.



The date? Nobody really knows, but it happened before the Spanish Conquistadores set foot in South America at the beginning of the 16th century.



At that point in time, two small tribes of Amerindians lived on the shores of the Biobío near the place that is now called Santa Juana.



The Catirai lived on the South bank, and almost opposite were the Talcamahuida on the other side of the river.



The tribes in this area were quite fierce and very active warriors, their cultural background provided an education in the arts of war from a very young age. So the Catirai and the Talcamahuida were natural enemies, each of them fiercely protective of their right to the lands and products on their specific side of the river. Their constant fights produced a great hatred between these two small groups.



It so happened that the Chief of the Talcamahuida had a son, the handsome Rayencura – “Powerful Flower” and the Chief of the Catirai had a daughter, the beautiful Rayenantú – “Golden Flower”. They of course fell in love!



The lovers began to meet secretly on the shores of the river after Rayencura had bravely swum across to the side of the Catirai to woo his love. All was happiness for them; they were very much in love!




On a windy, stormy night, the Catirai missed Rayenantú, and while searching for her, found her down by the river with her lover. A terrible shouting broke out that brought the Talcamahuida down to the river side as well.



A ferocious battle was fought in the dark of the night and caught in the middle of the two sides the lovers were struck down by the arrows that were falling all over.



When realization struck, the fighting came to a standstill; the bodies were retrieved and returned to their parents.



Each tribe mourned their loss amidst many traditional ceremonies, and finally Rayencura and Rayenantú were put to rest in their separate graves, one on each side of the river.



A great silence descended over the area, as the various participants slept, exhausted by so much emotion.



When the sun rose on the day after the burial ceremonies, both tribes were amazed to discover that on each side of the river and at the site of the lovers’ respective burial place, twin lakes had sprung up, one on each side of the river directly opposite each other!



These twin lakes exist today, one is called Laguna Talcamávida and the other is the Laguna Rayenantú.



And the legend also lives on!



THE VALENTINES OF TIME GONE BY!





These two lovers did not need a special Valentine Card, or an expensive jewel in the shape of a heart, or a first class dinner in a fashionable restaurant. 

They had their love for each other, the natural beauty of the scenery and probably a small present of a wild flower or a rustic handmade artifact. 



It was the strength of their love that has caused their story to survive, generation after generation, and will continue to do so as time goes by!



THE TOWN OF SANTA JUANA  THE LAKE IS VISIBLE BY THE RIVER





Source: Anaximander, CC BY SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons


LAKE RAYENANTÚ TODAY




 Source: not given, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons


 

SPANISH VERSION




(This Blog is bilingual)



UN TRIBUTO AL “DIA DEL AMOR Y DE LA AMISTAD”




Estamos prontos a la celebración del día de San Valentín,  llamado también “Día de los Enamorados” o “Día del Amor y la Amistad” en la América Hispana.


El tributo que ofrezco en mi Blog no tiene mucho que ver con la casi excesiva comercialización que se ha visto en años recientes para esta celebración. 

Tiene  que ver más bien con un profundo y sincero amor de esos que forjan leyendas.


UNA LEYENDA DE AMOR EN LA AMÉRICA HISPANA: RAYENANTÚ Y RAYENCURA.




La puesta en escena es la Región del Biobío en Chile Central, en las orillas del majestuoso Río Biobío.


¿La fecha? Nadie lo sabe a ciencia cierta, pero es claro que es con anterioridad a la llegada de los Conquistadores a la América del Sur a principios del siglo 16.


En la fecha en que se origina la leyenda, dos pequeñas tribus de Amerindios vivían en las orillas del Río Biobío cerca del lugar denominado Santa Juana en la actualidad.


Los Catirai vivían en la orilla sureña y al otro lado y casi justo al frente vivían los Talcamahuida.


Las dos tribus eran guerreros bastante feroces, ya que su cultura y educación los preparaba en las artes de la guerra desde una temprana edad. Los Catirai y los Talcamahuida eran enemigos naturales, cada uno protegía con gran intensidad sus derechos a las tierras y a los productos de sus sectores específicos. Sus continuas batallas produjeron un gran odio entre ambos grupos.


Sucedió que el Cacique (Jefe) de los Talcamahuida tenía un hijo, el apuesto Rayencura – “Flor Poderosa”  y el Cacique los  Catirai tenía una hija. La bella Rayenantú – “Flor Dorada”. Como era de esperarse, ¡ellos se enamoraron!


Los enamorados comenzaron a encontrarse secretamente en las orillas del río después que Rayencura valientemente cruzara el río a nado para cortejar a su amada. Todo era felicidad para los dos ¡estaban muy enamorados!


Una noche tormentosa con mucho viento, los Catirai echaron de menos a Rayenantú y la salieron a buscar, sorprendiendo a los enamorados a orillas del rio. Se produjo un gran griterío, que atrajo a los Talcamahuida en la otra ribera.


Se inició una gran batalla en la oscuridad de la noche de tal modo que los enamorados, en medio de los combatientes, fueron derivados por la lluvia de flechas que caía sin control


Cuando esta realidad se hizo presente, la pelea se detuvo abruptamente, los cuerpos fueron rescatados y devueltos a sus respectivos padres.


Cada tribu lloró su pérdida con muchos ceremoniales de acuerdo a su tradición; finalmente Rayencura y Rayenantú fueron sepultados, cada uno en su correspondiente orilla del río.


Un gran silencio descendió sobre el lugar, a medida que los participantes, exhaustos con tanta emoción, se dejaban llevar por el sueño.


Cuando amaneció el día después del término de las ceremonias fúnebres, ambas tribus vieron con asombro que a cada lado del río, en los sitios de las respectivas tumbas de los enamorados, ¡habían brotado lagunas gemelas, una a cada lado del río y directamente opuestas!


Estas lagunas gemelas existen en la actualidad, se llaman Laguna Rayenantú y Laguna Talcamávida.


¡Y la leyenda también permanece viva!


¡SAN VALENTIN DE LOS TIEMPOS PASADOS!


Estos amantes no necesitaban una aparatosa celebración especial para el Día de los Enamorados. Les bastaba el amor que se profesaban, la belleza natural del paisaje  y quizás el pequeño regalo de una flor silvestre o de un objeto de confección rústica.


La fuerza de su amor ha causado que su historia perdure en esta leyenda que se transmite de generación en generación y ¡que continuará contándose a medida que pasen los años!




More about similar topics in a future post.       Más sobre temas similares en un próximo post.



LANGUAGE TIPS FOR ENGLISH


Words that go together!  * Make a profit   - * Waste time   - * Fall in love   - * Get started   – * Pay cash 



LANGUAGE TIPS FOR SPANISH.



Expresiones de uso frecuente: * A falta de pan buenas son las tortas - * El que espera, desespera  - * Ir al grano 



How is your level of comprehension?      Cómo está su nivel de comprensión?




© 2012  joanveronica  (Joan Robertson)




I will be very happy to receive your comments! Just click the word “comments” lower down.
 











16 comments:

  1. Wow, Joan this was a beautiful story and I was truly glued to my seat until the end to see how it turned out. Thank you so much fro sharing and so very true your thought of the actual holiday of Valentine's Day!! Thank you as always for linking up with us!!

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    1. Hi Janine, many thanks for the visit and the comment! This was an easy one for me, I worked in Santa Juana for 16 years, and told this story to many visitors! It's a beautiful legend, nobody knows how it started, so maybe it's true?? Or something! So see you around and have a good night's sleep, we all need that!

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  2. Great story and it really captures the deeper meaning of a holiday that celebrates love.

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    1. Hi there Kimbo, so happy to have you visit and read my post! I really love this legend, I worked in Santa Juana for lots of years, and everybody loves this story! I'm glad you liked it! See you around!

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  3. Me gusta esta leyenda y si tenga tiempo, voy a compartirla con mis alumnos para el dia de san valentin aqui en los EEUU. :) Gracias! La goce mucho! :)

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    1. Hola, qué bien! Te gusta el post y lo escribiste en Español! That was doubly good! Thanks so much for your support! I'll see you soon. Must sleep!

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  4. I love legends! That's for the story, that was sad and so sweet at the same time. Visiting via FSTF. P.S. It's sad that Chile picked up one of the most annoying American traditions of celebrating Halloween.

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    1. Hi Kenya, so happy to have you visit my blog, and thanks for the comment! I agree on all counts: the story is lovely, and it is sad to see more and more nations adopting commercialized festivities! Thanks again and have a good day!

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  5. Beautiful story. I love FTSF because each blogger puts their own unique spin on the same sentence, and it is so fascinating to read everyone's post. I always end up reading posts that are completely unexpected, like this one, and bring something I could never have imagined. Thanks so much for sharing that with us- lovely!

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    1. Hi Stephanie, so happy to read your comment! It makes the effort of FTSF so worthwhile! I'm never sure if I will get to post on the Friday, so I've been staying up until the linky is live, and here that is just after midnight. It's a long day for me, but I'm loving it, and your comment just confirms it! I will do my best to keep up the standard, but I do admit that this pòst is special! Once again, thanks for your support!

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  6. Great story and so interesting about the legend behind the lakes, which look beautiful. I agree that Valentine's day has become too commercialized like so many other American holidays.

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    1. Hi there, many thanks for your visit and the comment! I'm so glad you liked this story, it's a favorite of mine, especially as I worked for about 16 in the town that has grown up near one of the lakes! The entire area is beautiful, and the community does look after this spot. Thanks again and be happy!

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  7. Joan - Really an amazing story. Unfortunate that love couldn't survive the arrows and such, but the lakes, and what they represent, keep the legend flowing. Did you ever wonder what their tribesmen caught them doing that night? lol Oh well, leave it to me to taint a legend! Really a great post!

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    1. Hi Rich, so happy you enjoyed this post, as I have enjoyed yours! It wouldn't really matter if they were caught in the act or not, the very fact of Rayencura being on the wrong side of the river would have been enough! So here's to eternal love, right? See you around!

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  8. Every May, my city honors a chosen county. A few years ago, we honored Chili. I attended a teachers' conference to learn about your country so that I could do activities about Chili in class. It's a fun month for us. This year, our country is Sweden.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Joyce, so nice to have you visit my post! I am starting up a blog specifically about Chile, there is so much to tell! I'm glad you enjoy these activities. See you around, and thanks for the comment!

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