Commune of Tirúa

It is the most southern coastal commune in the county of Arauco. It is located to approximately 120 kilometers of the commune of Arauco, it limits to the north with Cañete; to the south with Carahue; to the east with Lumaco; and to the west with the Ocean Pacific. This commune possesses a population that doesn't overcome the 10 thousand inhabitants. The surface is of 629,9 km2 and the ruralidad index reaches 75%.

According to some historians, this town during the XVII century until the conquest of the Araucanía,constituyó the only route among Concepción's yValdivia city. The cacique was the one that controlled the traffic, charging a toll to those that crossed the mountain range for the step of The Pinegroves, among the forests of araucarias, paradescender to Carahue or Trovolhue, stops then to continue for the coast until Valdivia.

Tirúa offers places of remarkable coastal beauty and others of rural court, besides a spa in the town of Quidico. This community is characterized by the strong presence of the ethnos mapuche, element that grants him a rich cultural content, besides interesting development alternatives.
In the coastal area of this town, around 140 families mapuches they are devoted to the gathering of the cochayuyo Durvillea Antarctica, alga that is in the rocky fronts and that it is glimpsed to the moment in that you/they lower the tides. From beginnings of the summer until ends of February is frequent to sight in the route, overflowing carts with this aquatic plant that you/they go toward Temuco, for their commercialization.

It is also famous the craft that women mapuches of Tirúa elaborate, with designs that the tradition of its culture has rooted in them, based on wool and natural tints. In their journey for the commune will be able to find local that will offer him a wide range of products like blankets, scarfs, scarfs, caps, socks and gloves, among others.