Why "Tierra del Fuego" Means "Land of Fire"

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan named the archipelago Tierra del Fuego ("Land of Fire") in 1520 during his circumnavigation voyage.

Sailing through the strait that now bears his name, he saw numerous bonfires lit by the indigenous Yaghan (Yámana) people along the shores. The fires—used for warmth, cooking, and signaling—glowed against the cold, foggy landscape, inspiring the dramatic name.

The Yaghan, expert canoeists and hunter-gatherers, thrived in this harsh environment for millennia before European contact devastated their population.