The Pehuenche or Pewenche are an indigenous nation which came probably from Argentina and adapted the Mapuche Culture centuries ago. The name Pehuenche means „People from the Pehuén“ – the fruit of the Araucaria Tree, which is the Chilean Monkey Puzzle Tree, growing in South Chile in altitudes over 1.000 meters. These trees can become more then 1.500 years old. 

The Pehuenche folk bases its nutrition mainly on the collection of the Araucaria fruit and only to a small portion on agriculture. For them the pine nut is an essential part of the traditional alimentation and it is used to make flour, which can be stored over several months. They do also collect other fruits out of which they make beverages.

The male members of the society specialized on hunting, mainly Guanacos (a camel type which can be found in the Andes); and their main source of income was the trade of hides in exchange for groceries and other products. As Nomads the Pehuenche crossed the Andes to Argentina frequently. This was disabled by the public authorities and stricter border controls between Argentina and Chile.

In the present the Pehuenche people do live in Chile almost exclusively on the coast of the Bio Bio River in the Andes between the 8th and the 9th region, while in Argentina their successors do live in the southern part of the Mendoza province.