City Center

VoyageurThe statues pictured are called Chemamüll, which means wooden person. They were traditionally made by the Mapuche people, one of the indigenous tribes of Chile. They were made as funerary statues and were placed outside of homes or in cemeteries as a way of commemorating and honoring their memory. They were also believed to help facilitate the transition to the afterlife. This picture was taken at Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda, a cultural center located behind the Palacio de La Moneda, which is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile. Not sure if they are artifacts or replicas.