Chile Doesn’t Grow Bananas
Chile doesn’t grow bananas: This is undoubtedly a blessing for Chile. Facts tend to show that bananas (genus Musa) continue to have a negative effect on the performance of politicians. It is believed that genus Musa stymies their democratic maturity. The curse of the banana is evident in Latin America where a substantial number of countries are still derogatively branded as banana republics. They lag behind in terms of political, economic and social development. At present, Chile escapes the indignity of the label.
Chile is a nation of nearly 17 million people. It is the most socially mature country in Latin America ranking 44th on the UN Human Development Index (HDI) in 2007 . Chile has a better education system for its children, has more efficient health services and a higher GDP per capita than its neighbors . Every year, Transparency International, a Berlin-based nonprofit organization, issues a corruption perception index. On its list of countries from the least to the most corrupt, Chile ranks 25th just after France. Brazil is 75th on the same list.
Chile is a small country known for its worm-like shape. It stretches over 4270 kilometers from north to south, and it is never wider than 177kms. Thanks to its length spanning 38 degrees of latitude, Chile has become a leader in vegetable and fruit exports, except of course bananas. Not bad for a country where mountains make up 80% of the land mass. The country is squeezed between the Andes mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. Chile owns its weird shape to history.
In the 16th century, the Spanish conquistadores settled around Valdivia and Santiago in central Chile. Since the Andes formed a natural barrier, the colonizers pushed southward by gradually occupying the lands populated by the fierce Mapuche Indians. By defeating its neighbors Peru and Bolivia in the Pacific war, Chile made additional land gains in the north. The 1884 land grab is still painfully remembered in these two countries.
If Chile has escaped the curse of the banana, it is frequently cursed by Mother Nature and its destructive forces. The Spanish conquistadores were without doubt a very adventurous lot but they made some extremely poor colonization choices. In founding the city of Valdivia, they settled in one of the most seismic-prone region of Latin America. This region is located on the so-called Ring of Fire (also called the circum Pacific belt) where two tectonic plates collide . Since the 16th century, the Valparaiso-Valdivia region has been ravaged several times by earthquakes and tsunamis. In 1822 the port of Valparaiso was severely damaged by an earthquake followed by tsunami.
Since records have been kept, Chile has the unique privilege of having been struck by the world’s strongest earthquake measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale. It occurred in Valdivia on May 22, 1960 killing 1655 persons. The subsequent tsunami killed an additional 231 in Japan, the Philippines and Hawaii.
On February 27, 2010, the city of Conception near Valdivia bore the brunt of an earthquake of 8.8 magnitude. Some 450 casualties have been recorded so far. This earthquake is estimated to be 100 times stronger than the January 12, 2010 earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 that flattened Port au Prince, Haiti, killing an estimated 230,000 people. Chile’s highest level of preparedness certainly contributed to the lower number of victims. Coincidentally both Concepcion and Port au Prince were destroyed by strong earthquakes in 1751.
Luckily, Chile seems to have escaped another regional curse: the drug trade. Some coca leaf planting takes place in the north of Chile, specifically in the regions that Chile snatched from its neighbors. Fortunately it is a cottage production which goes into teas and coca leaves chewing. This is not to claim that illegal trafficking and smuggling do not take place in Chile. Trafficking the Chilean way mainly concerns two products: alerce and locos. Both are on the endangered list.
In the late 70s, alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) was declared a National Monument. During the Spanish colonization in the island of Chiloé, alerce roof shingles were used as currency; they were called Real de Alerce. Alerce is a giant conifer tree related to the sequoia of the west coast of North America. These trees are found in Patagonia and very few are still standing: hence their national treasure status. Alerce trees are known to live as long as 3000 years making them the second oldest organism on earth after the Great Basin Bristlecone Pine of south-west USA. Alerce grows very slowly, but it can reach a height of 60 m. In the mid 1800s, Charles Darwin noted in his agenda that the trunk of alerce could measure up to 13m in diameter.
The Chiloé island is renowned for its colorful wooden churches. They were built by the Jesuits during their proselytizing drive in the 17th and 18th centuries. Their distinctive beauty and charm have earned them UNESCO World Heritage status. The wood used to build these churches is evidently alerce. Very resistant, it was heavily logged during the 19th century colonization of southern Chile. When they settled down, the German colonists were enthusiastic users of alerce shingles to protect the roofs and walls of their houses. Although cutting is outlawed, illegal smuggling continues to take place. It is estimated that only 15% of alerce forests remains today.
Loopholes in the legislation are used to continue the onslaught on alerce trees. Living trees cannot be cut but dead trunks can. Therefore the death rate of alerce is abnormally high. Because alerce grows so slowly it is de facto a non-renewable resource; for many Chileans their destruction is a national tragedy. The newly elected President Sebastián Piñera has seen his name associated with that of notorious alerce smugglers. He may decide to clear his name by aggressively combating smuggling. Frankly speaking with some 2 million people affected by the recent earthquake, President Piñera may have more pressing priorities.
Figure 1 German House with alerce shingles on sides and roof (1905).
Puerto Varas.
Loco is another Chilean treasure which is illegally harvested and clandestinely traded. The scientific name of loco is Concholepas concholepas a shell fish delicacy in Chilean cuisine. Concholepas distinguish themselves from other sea snails like abalones by being carnivores. For decades, as demand outpaced supply, loco was over fished and landed on the endangered list. In the 1980s, the ministry of fisheries designed strict legislation to ensure the survival of the loco stock. Extraction is illegal for part of the year, however if you ask discreetly, locos can turn up in your plate even during the ban. As a viable alternative, scientists are researching ways to develop commercial cultivation to meet both the local demand and the growing Asian market.
Santiago benefits from one of the most modern and efficient subway system in the world. Moreover it is a triumph of modern anti-seismic technology. It remained unscathed after last month’s devastating earthquake, and has since reopened for business. Like its national treasures, alerce, locos and the Santiago subway, the Chilean people are resilient and will rebuild their shattered lives. Chile has escaped the curse of the banana.
Beatrice Labonne, March 2, 2010.
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