Killing of national settlers of Loncoche. Social struggle for mastery of land ownership inside the settlement system in the south of Chile (1910)

Abstract

This article revolves around the emblematic scenario that sprung to life due to the social outrage that ended up with the killing of over 50 national settlers by the local police force in the outskirts of the rural locality of Loncoche on the 15th of February in the year 1910. Our hypothesis suggests that this event would break through this national scenario as one of the crudest and tense contradictions manifested by the process of colonisation in the south of Chile during the early 20th century. This is all backed up by existing documents and local newspapers (El Correo de Valdivia, La Aurora, La Voz de Loncoche, El Mercurio), bulletins from the National Congress, Archives from the Intendencia de Valdivia- caused by the tragic events ocurred in Loncoche.