THE MAULE RIVER

The Maule River is inextricable linked to the pre-Hispanic Inca Times, the European Invasion, the Colonial Period, Wars of Independence, Agriculture (Wine), Culture (literature, poetry, folklore), Religion, Economic and Politics.
The Maule River marked the extreme Southern limits of the Inca Empire. Troops of the Inca Empire reached the Maule River and had a battle there with the inhabitants between the Maule and the Itata River. They escaped the Inca rule. The contact with the Incas gave them  a collective awareness distinguishing them and the invaders and uniting them into loose geo-political units.
The Maule Region run WestWard from the Andes, and bisects the Region. The Region is bordered on the West by the Pacific Ocean; on the East by Argentina Republic; on the North by the O'Higgins Region, and on the South by the Bio-Bio Region.
The River is 240 km long and its basin covers around 20,600 km2. Thirty percent of the basin is located  in the Andean Range. It is born at an altitude of 2,200 m in the vicinity of the border with Argentina. From that point the River flows WestWardly and is soon joined on its left bank by one of its main tributaries, the Melado River, which is born in the central Region of the Maule (Laguna Dial). Further on, and still in its upper course, the Maule is joined, this time on its right bank by Rivers Colorado, Claro, Puelche and Cipreses. Before arriving at the Central Valley, the Maule is now dammed into the Colbun Dam Lake that feeds the hydroelectrical power station. Further on, the Maule is joined by another Claro River and the Loncomilla River formed by the union of the Perquilauquen and Longavi Rivers. In its lower reaches, the Maule receives only one modest tributary, the Estero de los Puercos, and, after flowing for nearly 250 km, the Maule ends at the Pacific Ocean.
From 9000 BC to 300 BC, the People who inhabited the Region moved constantly between the Coast and the Valley as well as the Andes. At sites such as Pichilemu, Cahuil, and Bucalemu, they left trash deposits or shell heaps where aquatic resources were processed, bearing testimony to their raids.
From 300 BC -1470 CE, the People experienced changes in their way of life. Agricultural techniques appeared, cultivation of vegetables developed and also the manufacturing of clay objects.
From 600 CE onwards, Beans, Maize, Squashes, Pumpkins and Quinoa were all over the region. All of these except Quinoa and some special type of maize required irrigation.
When the Europeans arrived to the Region, they found 4 groups of speakers: -the Picun-Che (Pikum means"North" and Che "People"); the Huilli-Che (Willi means "South"); the Pehuen-Che (from Pewen "monkey puzzle tree" or "Araucaria Araucana"); and the Molu-Che (from Molu "West"). They were organized and had a network of forts and complex defensive buildings. They also had ceremonial mounds recently discovered near Puren. They already worked copper and quickly adopted iron-metal-working.
The Picun-Che were conquered quite rapidly by the europeans and mingled with them during the colonial times, and their descendants formed a large group of mestizos; whereas the Huilli-Che and the Pehuen-Che living in Araucania and the Patagonia were not assimilated and remained independent until the Chilean Occupation of Araucania and the Argentine Conquest of the Desert in the late19th century.
They learned horseback-riding and the use of cavalry in war from the Europeans, along with the cultivation of wheat and sheep. In the long 300-year of coexistence between the European colonies and the relatively well-delineated autonomus Regions of the 4 groups of speakers, they developed a strong tradition of trading with the Europeans and Chileans.
The Mapu-Che (Mapu "Earth" and Che "people") is a language isolate spoken by the 4 groups. The Mapu-Che language had no writing system before the European arrival. Lexical influence has been discerned from Quechua. Now it is written with the Latin Script.
During 1541 CE to 1811 CE (Colonial Period), the Region became dominated by the European system of ranching and became predominant.
Forestry and agriculture, led by Wine grape plantations, are the main economic activities. The Maule Region is the Wine-making Region, producing 50% of all fine export wines, and a number of the largest vineyards are located there. Wine-making is a traditional activity, dating back to 1830.
In addition to wine, two export-oriented agricultural items have emerged dramatically: fruit and vegetables on one side and flowers in the other side.