The Mapuche, also called the Araucanos, have been around for several generations, trying to preserve their traditions and culture. It is a perpetual struggle for them to uphold their lifestyle. The outside world is constantly influencing them with a different culture. There are many unique things about the Mapuche, from their language and art, to myths and legends that make the Mapuche people so fascinating. When the Mapuche arrived to present day Chile and Argentina, they were the first ones to inhabit the area. They learned how to become hunters, gatherers, fishermen, and shepherds to survive and form a culture (UNPO). They are a very kinship based group, and look at the family tree through the father/husband’s line. When a women marries, …show more content…
They live in small family groups called lof, under the authority of a Lonko, who is their chief (Mapuche Nation). They weren’t alone forever though, the Spanish invaded the Mapuche-occupied parts of Chile and Argentina, in 1541. Making up roughly 4% of Chile, the 500,000 Mapuches are well respected, proud, independant warriors for fighting off the Spanish, and keeping their ethnicity to the Mapuche ways. However, the Spanish cultivated most of their former land, converting many Mapuche and decreasing the number of Mapuche in the land ever since (Mapuche). So many different styles of art exist around the world, each one expressing its individuality in some way shape or form. The Mapuche indians are known for their beautiful, Glass 2 meticulous metalwork, and the silver coin, inspired by the spaniards. Also, their jewelry using the silver coin in necklaces and head dresses (Mapuche). Mapuche have a distinct folk/indian style of music with instruments consisting of drums, flutes makeshift guitars, horns, and other interesting instruments. All of these include some part of horse mane, guts, skin or other wild game parts. They also use wood for the structure of the drums and sticks, with pebbles or …show more content…
Once the water subsided, the people were able to return to the valleys and repopulate the earth. Also, they believe in many myths that frighten not only children. One, is about the Peuchen, a feared figure among Mapuche. It can shapeshift into any animal, and petrifies it’s victims - human or animal - to suck their blood. The Mapuche football team has an interesting name, Colo Colo. A Colo Colo is a legendary Mapuche animal with body parts of a snake, rooster, and rat, but cries like a newborn child (Mapuche). In conclusion, the some half-million surviving members of the Mapuche people are known for their spiritual relationship they have maintained with the land and their fierce sense of independence. They don’t have their own country, but they have a completely different way of life from the rest of the world. Los Mapuches are a wondrous culture to engulf in and research, Jessica Flere: missing citation, direct quote http://www.southamerica.cl/Chile/Mapuche.htm Glass 3 with their own style of everything, their distant from everyone else. Yet, their extremely fascinating culture is now being researched and becoming more