Who are the Mapuche?
The Mapuche are an Indigenous group that live in central Chile and a small part of west-central Argentina (Britannica, 2020). Of the 1.4 million population, a hundred thousand of them live in Argentina.
Where do Mapuche live in Chile?
In Chile the Mapuche live mainly in the provinces of Bio-Bio, Arauco, Malleco, Cautin, Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue and Chiloe. As a result of population growth and hence overcrowding in indigenous reservations, the majority of Mapuche people now live in the large urban centres of Santiago, Concepción, Valparaíso, Temuco and Valdivia.
Why do Mapuche sacrifice animals to the waters?
At last only one couple is left. A machi tells them that they must give their only child to the waters, which they do, and this restores order to the world. Part of Mapuche ritual is prayer and animal sacrifice, required to maintain the cosmic balance. This belief has continued to current times.
What happened to the Mapuche after they were conquered?
After the conquest of Peru, Spanish troops lead by Pedro de Valdivia headed south to Santiago and then southern Chile, where several cities were established within Mapuche territory. The Mapuche resisted the Spanish invasion, and conflicts between the two groups lasted over 350 years during the Arauco War.
What is Mapuche culture?
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of Southern Chile and Argentina, including Patagonia. When the Spanish arrived in the 18th century, they lived in fertile valleys as hunter gatherers, maintaining a culture which is said to have prevailed since 500 BC.
What traditions do the Mapuche have?
Healing ceremonies and the use of Mapuche herbal medicine, for example, are two common cultural practices. The Mapuche shaman, the machi, occupies one of the most important roles in Mapuche society.
What happened to the Mapuche people?
Many ethnic Mapuche now live across southern Chile and Argentina; some maintain their traditions and continue living from agriculture, but a majority have migrated to cities in search of better economic opportunities. Many are concentrated around Santiago.
What does the Mapuche flag symbolize?
The Mapuche flag's colors, stripes and symbols represent aspects of an indigenous cosmovision and indigenous liberation. The yellow drumlike center includes symbols like the sun, moon and stars, all of which represent knowledge. Blue symbolizes the purity of the universe and the sacred.
What do the Mapuche eat?
The Mapuche cultivated corn (maize), beans, squash, potatoes, chili peppers, and other vegetables and fished, hunted, and kept guinea pigs for meat. They kept llamas as pack animals and as a source of wool.
Are Mapuche tall?
Results: Among males, the mean height was 166.6+/-7.3 cm and among females, the figure was 153.6+/-5.9 cm. Mapuche subjects were significantly shorter: -3.2 cm (95% Confidence Interval (CI) -4.0 to -2.3) among females and -4.8 cm (CI -6.0 to -3.6) among males (non adjusted models).
What do Mapuche people do?
The Mapuche traditional economy is based on agriculture; their traditional social organization consists of extended families, under the direction of a lonko or chief. In times of war, the Mapuche would unite in larger groupings and elect a toki (meaning "axe" or "axe-bearer") to lead them.
What language do Mapuche speak?
Araucanian languageMapuche (/məˈputʃi/, Mapuche & Spanish: [maˈputʃe], or Mapudungun; from mapu 'land' and dungun 'speak, speech') is an Araucanian language related to Huilliche spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people (from mapu 'land' and che 'people').
Are all Chileans Mapuche?
The Mapuche make up about 12% of Chile's population and are by far its largest indigenous group.
What is the Mapuche religion?
The religious beliefs of the Mapuche are primarily based on spirit worship of ancestors (mythical or real), and spirits, and elements of nature. These spirits do not correspond to “deities”, as is commonly understood in the Western world.
What came first Texas or Chile flag?
The flag of Texas was designed and adopted on 25 January 1839; whereas Chile adopted a flag similar to today's Chilean flag 22 years earlier on 18 October 1817.
What does the red mean on the Chile flag?
the bloodThe star is seen as a “guide on the path of progress and honour,” while the blue stands for the sky. The white stripe corresponds to the snow of the Andes Mountains, the red stripe below reminding citizens of the blood of those who sacrificed themselves for the fatherland.
What language do Mapuche speak?
Araucanian languageMapuche (/məˈputʃi/, Mapuche & Spanish: [maˈputʃe], or Mapudungun; from mapu 'land' and dungun 'speak, speech') is an Araucanian language related to Huilliche spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people (from mapu 'land' and che 'people').
What did the Mapuche wear?
Mapuche men are dressed in makuñ, a black blanket-type garment similar to the poncho, a chumpiru or felt hat and sandals or ekota.
How do you pronounce Mapuche?
0:271:01How To Say Mapuche - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAmerica my pooch a South.MoreAmerica my pooch a South.
What language do the Mapuche speak how many people speak it?
Mapuche (Mapudungun) Mapuche is an Araucanian language spoken in parts of southern Chile and western Argentina, by about 260,000 people (in 2007).
Where are Mapuche from?
The Mapuche ( / mæˈpʊtʃi /, Mapuche and Spanish: [maˈputʃe]) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of present-day south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of present-day Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious, and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage as Mapudungun speakers. Their influence once extended from Aconcagua Valley to Chiloé Archipelago and later spread eastward to Puelmapu, a land comprising part of the Argentine pampa and Patagonia. Today the collective group makes up over 80% of the indigenous peoples in Chile, and about 9% of the total Chilean population. The Mapuche are particularly concentrated in the Araucanía region. Many have migrated from rural areas to the cities of Santiago and Buenos Aires for economic opportunities.
What is Mapuche culture known for?
Mapuche material culture is known for its textiles and silverwork. At the time of Spanish arrival, the Araucanian Mapuche inhabited the valleys between the Itata and Toltén rivers. South of there, the Huilliche and the Cunco lived as far south as the Chiloé Archipelago.
Why did the Mapuche population drop?
Historian Ward Churchill has claimed that the Mapuche population dropped from a total of half a million to 25,000 within a generation as result of the occupation and its associated famine and disease. The conquest of Araucanía caused numerous Mapuches to be displaced and forced to roam in search of shelter and food.
What is the Mapuche conflict?
Today, many Mapuche and Mapuche communities are engaged in the so-called Mapuche conflict over land and indigenous rights in both Argentina and in Chile.
What does "mapuche" mean?
However, Mapuche is a relatively recent endonym meaning "People of the Earth " or "Children of the Earth", "mapu" means earth and "che" means person. It is preferred as a term when referring to the "Mapuche" people after the Arauco War.
What is the traditional economy of Mapuche?
The Mapuche traditional economy is based on agriculture; their traditional social organization consists of extended families, under the direction of a lonko or chief. In times of war, the Mapuche would unite in larger groupings and elect a toki (meaning "axe" or "axe-bearer") to lead them.
Where did the Mapuche culture originate?
Pre–Columbian period. See also: Origin of the Mapuche and Incas in Central Chile. Archaeological finds have shown that Mapuche culture existed in Chile and Argentina as early as 600 to 500 BC. Genetically the Mapuche differ from the adjacent indigenous peoples of Patagonia.
What are the Mapuche?
By the 16th century, the Mapuche were a sedentary people based on extended family units with local chiefs and no centralized authority, only coming together for social and religious events (Smeets, 2008). During the Spanish colonization period, they reorganized their way of life, becoming nomadic, to resist them (Britannica, 2020) In fact, they were the only Indigenous people to have their sovereignty recognized by the Spanish Crown (Ray et al, 2007). Despite this recognition, the Spanish continued to attempt to annex them for three centuries and the Mapuche had to use their bravery, resilience and defiance to fight against them. (Smeets, 2008 & Ray et al, 2007).
What is the relationship between Mapuche and the Earth?
The Mapuche have a close relationship with the earth, a fact signaled by the translation of the word Mapucheitself, meaning people of the land in Mapudungun (Ray et al, 2007). The gathering of wild plants for consumption is popular among rural Mapuche.
Who wrote Mapuche grammar?
Smeets, I. (2008). A Grammar of Mapuche (1st ed.). Walter de Gruyter.
What was the goal of Pinochet's regime in Chile?
Many hardships befell the Mapuche during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile. In order to eradicate national poverty , the government’s strategy was to pressure poor families, which includes a large percentage of the Mapuche population, to put their children up for international adoption. The climate of violence that existed and nurtured during this period in Chilean history by the regime, known for ordering the deaths of his opponents, stopped women from resisting (Nelsen, 2021).
Where do Mapuche live?
The Mapuche (people of the land in Mapudungun) have historically inhabited the valleys of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina. During colonial times, the Spaniards knew the Mapuche as Araucanos (Araucanians in English), term that is now considered pejorative. The Mapuche are a diverse ethnicity composed of various groups that share a common social, religious, and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Each group has a distinctive name regarding the region they live in. It is believed that Mapuches first inhabited the valleys between the Itata and Toltén Rivers in Chile. In the early 15th century, Mapuches fought the Inca invaders from Peru, stopping the expansion of the Inca Empire toward the south. After the arrival of the Spaniards, Mapuches began expanding eastward into the Andes and pampas forming, with the native people, the Pehuenche (people of the Pehuén, the Araucaria's fruit).
What were Mapuches known for?
Even though the Picunche (people of the north), who lived in the farming areas of Chile's Central Valley between the Aconcagua and Bío Bío rivers, were relatively peaceful, were easily overcome by the Incas, and then subdued and assimilated by the Spaniards in the 17th century, Mapuches established a reputation as fierce warriors who bravely defended their lands and their way of life. The Huilliche (people of the south) continued to resist the Spaniards in the so-called War of Arauco, answering to no central authority and choosing leaders only for the specific purpose of waging their wars of resistance. One of the main geographical boundaries was the Bío-Bío River, which Mapuches used as a natural barrier to Spanish incursion for 300 years.
What is the Cuncos mythology?
The Cuncos, a Mapuche group that inhabits the region of Chiloé, developed a rich mythological culture. One founding legend tries to explain the scattered islands of Chiloé and begins with a battle between the evil serpent Cai Cai, who rises furiously from the sea to flood the earth, and her good twin Tren Tren, who slumbers in her fortress among mountain peaks. While the Mapuche try unsuccessfully to wake Tren Tren, the evil serpent Cai Cai's friends, the pillars of Thunder, Wind, and Fire, pile up the clouds to make rain, thunder, and water. However, a little girl dances with her reflection in Tren Tren's eye and her laughter awakens Tren Tren, who also begins to laugh. Deeply insulted, Cai Cai is angry and shatters the earth, scattering islands all over the sea, while throwing water higher and higher in order to flood the mountain peaks where Tren Tren lives. But Tren Tren manages to raise the mountain up toward the sky and the sun, until the evil serpent Cai Cai and the Pillars of Thunder, Wind, and Fire fall from the peak into the deep abyss, where they are finally silenced.
Why do Mapuche organizations burn property?
Following their historical warrior skills, Mapuche organizations have occupied part of the land they claim and burnt private property in it, in order to assert their legitimate ownership over ancestral territory. The state has often resorted to repression and incarceration of Mapuches. The majority of them have been labeled as terrorists and charged under the Anti-Terrorist Law that was designed during the dictatorship to repress the opposition. This has motivated Mapuche organizations to demand justice through the United Nations.
What language do Mapuche speak?
Even though the majority of Mapuches speak Spanish, they continue to communicate with each other in Mapudungun, their ancestral language, which also survives in many place names: quen means "place," as in the town of Vichuquen, while che means "people," and mapu means "land." Mapuche, therefore, translates as "people of the land." In times of war Mapuches used to choose a leader who was called toqui, while in peacetime their leader was called ulmen. Choosing people to perform certain tasks because of their abilities was the Mapuche's principal strength. For instance, messengers, called huerquenes, were chosen because of their excellent memory.
Why was the ability to develop endurance highly prized by the Mapuche?
This "indifference" noted by Europeans is revealing: it is quite possible that the traditional cultural standards of the Mapuche and the adverse circumstances of their more recent history demanded a stoic outlook, and that the ability to develop endurance was highly prized by the Mapuche themselves because it was, in part, a necessary survival tactic as well as a virtue. Their seeming indifference has been a victory of character over circumstance, rather than a curious lack of sensitivity.
Where are the Mapuche crafts fairs held?
There are several important craft fairs in Chile that display Mapuche arts and crafts. One of these is the annual cultural fair in the town of Villarica on the Chilean mainland.
What is Mapuche culture?
Cultural practices. In the native language Mapudungun, ‘Mapuche’ translates to ‘people of the earth’. As their name would suggest, many Mapuche practices and beliefs are deeply connected to the natural world and the Mapuche’s ancestral land. Healing ceremonies and the use of Mapuche herbal medicine, for example, are two common cultural practices. ...
What were the Mapuche known for?
In addition to their textile production, the Mapuche were also known for their metalwork and in the mid-18th century, many Mapuche started to produce silver finery. Mapuche Chueca Alonso Ovalle - Public Domain.
What happened to the Mapuche people?
During this occupation, famine and disease hit the Mapuche people hard and the population dropped sharply. Many Mapuche were forced off their land. As adapting to Chilean society became a matter of life and death, the Mapuche were forced to incorporate themselves into this young South American nation. Instagram.
Why are Mapuche important?
As the Mapuche continue their struggle to preserve cultural traditions, it’s important to recognise and respect this indigenous group for their customs, history and resistance.
What is Mapuche medicine?
The tradition of Mapuche medicine is one of the most visible aspects of the culture present in Chile today, used as both primary and alternative treatment to western medicine. The Mapuche also have a rich tradition of textiles, a practice that existed far before the Spanish conquest.
How did Mapuche die?
Although many Mapuche died from violence and disease, their attacks on Spanish forts and cities in southern Chile had some success.
How many Mapuche live in Chile?
The Mapuche today. Around 10% of Chileans identify as Mapuche, though many more claim some ancestry. Some 1.5 million Mapuche live in Chile with an additional 200,000 living in Argentina. The Mapuche, like many indigenous groups around the world, are in constant demand for the return of their ancestral land.
What are the territories of Mapuche?
The Mapuche nation is situated in its historical ancestral territory, the Wall-Mapu: Wall; universe, Mapu; land/territory. Mapuche territorial entities are arranged along geographical lines in the following way: Puel mapu: the eastern lands (Pampa and Patagonia of Argentina), the territorial space of the Puelche. Pikun-mapu: the northern lands, the territorial space of the pikunche. Willi mapu: the southern lands, the territorial space of the williche. Pewen mapu: the land of the pewen (araucaria imbricata), the territorial space of the pewenche. Lafken mapu: the land of the sea, the territorial space of the lafkenche. Nag mapu: the land of the plains, the territorial space of the nagche. Wente mapu: the land of the valleys, the territorial space of the wenteche. In line with their territorial origin the Mapuche define themselves as: Puelche: people of the east; Pikunche; people of the north; Williche: people of the south; Pewenche: people of the pewen; Lafkenche: people of the sea, Nagche: people of the plains; or Wenteche: people of the valleys.
How many regions are there in Mapuche?
The traditional political structure of the Mapuche people is reproduced within the structure of the Mapuche territorial entity. It is organised into four geographical regions or Meli wixan-mapu. Each wixan-mapu is made up of aylla rewe (eight districts) which, in turn, are made up of communities known as lof.
How many Mapuche were killed?
Between 1860-1885, as a result of a joint military campaign in the Southern Cone, known as the "Pacification of Araucania" in Chile, and the "Conquest of the Desert" in Argentina, around 100,000 Mapuche were cruelly massacred.
What are the names of the Mapuche people?
In line with their territorial origin the Mapuche define themselves as: Puelche: people of the east; Pikunche; people of the north; Williche: people of the south; Pewenche: people of the pewen; Lafkenche: people of the sea, Nagche: people of the plains; or Went eche: people of the valleys.
What treaty did the Mapuche sign?
The signing of the treaty of Killin, in addition to the 28 subsequent treaties signed with the Mapuche nation during two centuries of diplomatic relations, makes the Mapuche stand out in the history of the indigenous peoples of South America.
When did the Mapuche nation get autonomy?
On the 6th January 1641 the Mapuche nation and the Spanish Empire concluded and signed the treaty of Killin, in which the Spanish Crown recognised the territorial autonomy of the Mapuche nation.
Where is the Mapuche Nation located?
INTRODUCTION. The Mapuche nation is situated in what is known as the Southern Cone of South America, in the area now occupied by the Argentine and Chilean states. In Chile the Mapuche live mainly in the provinces of Bio-Bio, Arauco, Malleco, Cautin, Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue and Chiloe.
Overview
Culture
At the time of the arrival of Europeans, the Mapuche organized and constructed a network of forts and defensive buildings. Ancient Mapuche also built ceremonial constructions such as some earthwork mounds recently discovered near Purén. Mapuche quickly adopted iron metal-working (Picunches already worked copper ) Mapuche learned horse riding and the use of cavalry in war from the Spaniards, along with the cultivation of wheat and sheep.
Etymology
Historically the Spanish colonizers of South America referred to the Mapuche people as Araucanians (/ærɔːˈkeɪniənz/, araucanos). This term is now considered pejorative by some people, contrary for others, the importance of the term Araucanian lies in the universality of the epic work La Araucana, written by Alonso de Ercilla and the feat of that people, in the long and interminable war against the Spanish Empire. The name was likely derived from the placename r…
History
Archaeological finds have shown that Mapuche culture existed in Chile and Argentina as early as 600 to 500 BC. Genetically the Mapuche differ from the adjacent indigenous peoples of Patagonia. This suggests a "different origin or long lasting separation of Mapuche and Patagonian populations".
Troops of the Inca Empire are reported to have reached the Maule River and had a battle with the M…
Modern conflict
Land disputes and violent confrontations continue in some Mapuche areas, particularly in the northern sections of the Araucanía region between and around Traiguén and Lumaco. In 2003, the Commission for Historical Truth and New Treatments issued a report to defuse tensions calling for drastic changes in Chile's treatment of its indigenous people, more than 80% of whom are Mapuche. The recommendations included the formal recognition of political and "territorial" righ…
Mapuche, Chileans and the Chilean state
Following the independence of Chile in the 1810s, the Mapuche began to be perceived as Chilean by other Chileans, contrasting with previous perceptions of them as a separate people or nation. However, not everybody agreed; 19th-century Argentine writer and president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento presented his view of the Mapuche-Chile relation by stating:
Between two Chilean provinces (Concepción and Valdivia) there is a piece of land that is not a pr…
Mapuches and the Argentine state
19th-century Argentine authorities aiming to incorporate the Pampas and Patagonia into national territory recognized the Puelmapu Mapuche's strong connections with Chile. This gave Chile a certain influence over the Pampas. Argentine authorities feared that in an eventual war with Chile over Patagonia, Mapuches would align themselves with Chile. In this context Estanislao Zeballos published the work La Conquista de quince mil leguas (The Fifteen Thousand League Conquest…
Modern politics
In the 2017 Chilean general election, the first two Mapuche women were elected to the Chilean Congress; Aracely Leuquén Uribe from National Renewal and Emilia Nuyado from the Socialist Party.
Introduction
Location and Homeland
Language
Folklore
Religion
Major Holidays
Rites of Passage
Interpersonal Relations
Living Conditions
- The Mapuche have tried to preserve and defend their way of life for centuries, but their less-than-happy encounters with the Spaniards and their descendants have left them in a condition of poverty. Some Mapuche continue to live in a fairly traditional style, but many have migrated as poor workers to towns where they share the lot of other urban wo...
Family Life