Nineteenth-century scholars, such as Chilean historian
Diego Barros Arana, believed that the Spanish had introduced the game of chueca to the Mapuche. However, more recent scholarship indicates that palin was already widely played by the Mapuche when the Spanish first conquered the region, and was most likely an ancient indigenous custom that the Spanish named after the similar game from their own homeland. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, palin was often played for ritual purposes or as preparation for warfare. Because of these associations, the
Spanish colonial government of Chile repeatedly banned palin during the 17th and 18th centuries, but it was revived when Chile gained independence in the early 19th century. In more recent times it has been played primarily as a recreational sport, although some communities still hold palin games as a ritual for special occasions and other social gatherings. ==Description==