Case file · Witch trials
The Chonchón
The chonchón is a kalku (sorcerer) who, by anointing his neck with a magic cream, detaches his head and flies through the night using his huge ears as wings, crying 'tue tue'.
1908 CE · -38.70, -72.50 · status: legend
The account
Hearing the cry is an omen of death; people answer it with prayers or by drawing a Solomon's knot on the ground. Chilean folklorist Tomás Guevara described the belief in his studies of Mapuche psychology and customs early in the 20th century (the year is approximate). The belief spread across rural Chile and into Argentina.
The sceptical view
The 'tue tue' call is often identified with the austral pygmy owl or other night birds.