Arica

Lore & Background

Arica has been inhabited by native groups for 10,000 years, including the Chinchorro culture, who are the first known culture to mummify their dead, predating the Egyptians by 2,000 years. Spaniards settled the area in 1541 under captain Lucas Martinez de Begazo, and by 1545 Arica became the main export entrepot for Bolivian silver from Potosí, making it a leading port of the Spanish Empire and a target for pirates such as Francis Drake and Thomas Cavendish. The city was hit by a destructive earthquake and tsunami in November 1604, causing it to be rebuilt.

Following the collapse of Spanish rule, Arica became part of Peru in 1821. In 1855, Peru inaugurated the Tacna–Arica railway, one of the first in Latin America. The earthquake of August 13, 1868 struck near the city with an estimated magnitude of 8.0 to 9.0, triggering a tsunami measurable across the Pacific. Chilean forces occupied the region during the War of the Pacific, and the Treaty of Ancón in 1883 formally ceded Tarapacá to Chile while stipulating a plebiscite for Tacna and Arica—a dispute not resolved until the 1929 Treaty of Lima, which permanently awarded Arica to Chile and returned Tacna to Peru.

In 1958, the Chilean Government established the Board of Development for Arica, offering tax incentives that attracted car assembly plants from Citroën, Peugeot, Volvo, Ford, and General Motors. The Arica y Parinacota Region was created on October 8, 2007. In the 1980s, a toxic waste dumpsite from Swedish company Boliden Mineral AB led to severe health problems among local residents, including arsenic-related cancers and fertility issues.

Reader's Guide

Arica's significance lies in its strategic location as a port city at the bend of South America's western coast, serving as a free port for Bolivia and handling a substantial part of that country's trade. Its position next to the Pan-American Highway, rail connections to Tacna and La Paz, and international airport enhance its role as a trade hub. The city is also notable for its archaeological importance, with findings of the Chinchorro mummies dating back 10,000 years, the oldest known mummies in the world. In 1970, Arica gained international fame as the site of a 10-month training led by Oscar Ichazo for 50 North Americans from the Esalen Institute, which led to the founding of the Arica School, influencing thousands worldwide. The city's mild climate has earned it the nickname 'city of the eternal spring,' and its beaches are frequented by Bolivian society. Arica's history includes periods under Spanish colonial rule, Peruvian control, and Chilean annexation after the War of the Pacific. The toxic waste scandal involving Boliden and Promel has had lasting health impacts on the local population, with high rates of arsenic-related diseases documented.

Did You Know?

• Arica is located at the bend of South America's western coast known as the Arica Bend or Arica Elbow.
• The origin of the city's name is uncertain; it may come from the Aymara language or from the Inca chief Ariacca, but the Kunza term 'arisca' meaning 'new bay' is not widely confirmed.
• Archaeological findings indicate that the Chinchorro culture in Arica mummified their dead, predating the Egyptians by 2,000 years.
• In 1970, spiritual master Oscar Ichazo held a 10-month training in Arica for 50 North Americans from the Esalen Institute.