Abstract

The cultural diversity of Chiloé archipelago's population raises questions about its ethnic origin. To determinate whether this population forms a distinct genetic-cultural entity in relation to continental groups, four populations were characterized genetically. Gene frequencies for the four Amerindian mitochondrial DNA haplogroups were analyzed. The studied groups exhibit an important aboriginal maternal genetic contribution since over 90 % of the individuals analyzed presented Amerindian mtDNA haplogroups. Although the genetic distance analysis indicates a north-south segregation, in agreement with ethnohistoric information, a relationship between groups of the Northern part of the archipelago with the Huilliche population is observed. Nevertheless, the exact test of population differentiation and the principal component analysis indicate a singularity in the insular group which can be explained combining genetic, ethnohistoric and archeological data.