Mapuche culture

Mapu = earth, Che = people. There's indigenous Mapuche throughout the the areas we've been travelling, and we finally found a way to engage and learn more about their culture and language, Mapudungun.

Until this point we'd seen inside some Ruka (houses) and had a couple of meals, but not gotten much depth. We'd also heard that Mapuche are dangerous and we shouldn't travel to certain areas due to potential for violence. Indeed, Mapuche do fight for their rights; like most indigenous people they've been displaced and assimilated, and culture/knowledge/language has been lost. We also observed that many Chilenos don't seem impressed when we say we're interested in Mapuche culture, and also heard that many Mapuche are not open to sharing their culture as they don't trust outsiders.

I met Claudia Antillanca in the visitors centre of the reserve at Chaihuin, and said we were interested in Mapuche culture. She offered to host us one evening, with her sister Jimena and mother Elena, at their 'Ruka Newen Zomo de Huiro' (strong women's house at Huiro), a bit further around the coast from Chaihuin.

It was so great 😃; we had a really relaxed time watching them prepare a meal for us, demonstrating techniques with wool, and talking the whole time about Mapuche. Turns out it was their first time hosting people this way 😂. They and other relatives are really keen on reinvigorating their culture and sharing it with others.

Claudia shared some Mapudungan words with us (e.g. Anti = sun), told us about drumming and singing to the protector spirits (ñen) by a fire so that the smoke carries messages to the ancestors and the ñen. Jimena demonstrated dying wool yellow using roots of the michai plant. Elena worked hard cooking 'tortilla al rescoldo'; essentially flat bread cooked directly in hot sand/ash (several people dropped in to buy this). We ate this with jam made of native 'murta' berries - yum 😋. We were also served mate tea🧉 (is not only Argentinians who drink it 😂). The main course included local seafood (abalones/ locos and chitons/ quitones). Yum!

It was a great evening and we felt privileged to have this experience. Hopefully their little business will grow, but it's probably a long way off until they can quit their day- jobs! Both Claudia and Jimena are still supporting their children through school & University, and they have good jobs with The Nature Conservancy to facilitate this.Read more