Melinka

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Melinka is a Chilean town in Aysén Province, Aysén Region. It is located on Ascención Island and is the administrative center of the commune of Guaitecas since 1979.

The town is on a small peninsula off the main island, and shelters a small harbor. The island is in the Guaitecas Archipelago, at the southern end of the Gulf of Corcovado.[1][2] Melinka is served by Melinka Airport and is connected by gravel road to the hamlets of Repollal.

Melinka is culturally similar to Chiloé Archipelago[3] but its inhabitants custom to bring dogs on board in their travels is likely rooted in native Chono traditions.[4][5]

In 2017 Melinka had a population of 1329 inhabitants down from 1411 in 2002.[6][7]

History

Prior to its founding in 1860 the location of Melinka was known as Puerto Arenas (literally "Port Sand") by whalers who visited the area regularly.[8] Melinka was founded in 1860 by the German immigrant, Felipe Arnold Westhoff.[9] Westhoff had been commissioned to supply railway sleepers to Ferrocarril Central Andino in Peru.[9] At the time the Guaitecas Archipelago was still part of Chiloé Province.Template:Fact In the first years of Melinka a series of indigenous tombs were discovered while building houses.[10] From Melinka Westhoff exported Pilgerodendron uviferum (Template:Langx) that made excellent wood for sleepers.[9] In 1870 the port was charted by Enrique Simpson on board Chacabuco.[11]

The famous pirate Pedro Ñancúpel was captured in Melinka in 1886 and bought into justice in Ancud the same year.[12][13]

According to a local tradition the word melinka comes from Russian and means lovely. In fact, there is the Russian archaic colloquialism милёнка (transl. milyonka) which means "lovely."[14] Westhoff who came from Lithuania in the Russian Empire named Melinka after his sister.[13]

Climate

Melinka has a wet oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb).

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See also

References

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  1. Google Maps - Melinka
  2. OpenStreetMap - Melinka
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  5. Alvarez, R. & Navarro, M. (2008). Informes Levantamiento de Información Etnográfica Usos Tradicionales del Borde Costero Provincia de Chiloé (región de Los Lagos) y Comuna de Las Guaitecas (región de Aysén). Valdivia: ONG Centro Ballena Azul, World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
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  11. Simpson, E. (1874). Esploraciones hechas por la Corbeta Chacabuco al mando del capitán de fragata don Enrique M. Simpson en los Archipiélagos de Guaitecas, Chonos i Taitao. Santiago. Imprenta Nacional.
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