Kakán was the Language of the Diaguita people, coming from the north of Argentina. They settled in the fertile Cross-sectional Valleys.
The studies of Rodolfo Schüller maintain that in both sides was spoken this Language totally extinguished today.
At the moment only some words have conserved last names of Kankán origin, local toponymy (names of places), such as:
Places:
Antofagasta, Chalingasta, Elqui, Sotaquí, Atacama, Calama, Toconao, Ticnamar, Combarbalá, etc.
Last name of Diaguita origin are:
Alballay, Campillay, Sapiaín, Talinay, Chavilca, Tamango, etc.
Plants names:
Chañar, gualtata, chilca, yalipalqui, palqui, etc.
Book source: Chronicle and copious account of the Chilean kindome. Historical and bibliographical Fund of José Toribio Medina, Santiago, 1966.
Valle del río Elqui