¿De dónde son los mapuche?
Watch the video below and explore annotations about vocabulary, grammar, sociocultural aspects of the language, and more.
Video 2 - ¿De dónde son los mapuche?
Questions about where the Mapuche come from can sometimes miss the point — what matters most to many Mapuche people is their deep connection to their ancestral lands and identity, not the modern borders of Chile or Argentina. Historically, Mapuche territory stretched from the Pacific to the Atlantic across what is now southern Chile and Argentina, and their struggle for autonomy and recognition continues amid pressures from state expansion and land loss. In the video below, you will learn about why the question “Where are the Mapuche from?” goes beyond geography, how colonial and national histories have shaped perceptions of their identity, and why understanding Mapuche territory and culture requires listening to Indigenous perspectives.
¿De dónde son los mapuche?
Annotations
00:00 - 00:22
Why does the speaker say the question “doesn’t matter”?
00:00 - 00:22
The video opens by questioning whether Mapuches are Chilean or Argentinian and states that the real answer is “it doesn’t matter.”
00:22 - 00:33
Cite a reflexive verb used in this excerpt.
00:22 - 00:33
Reference to Convention 169 of the ILO, which recognizes the pre-existence of Indigenous peoples.
00:33 - 00:48
What argument is used to delegitimize the Mapuche struggle in Argentina?
00:33 - 00:48
Some people delegitimize Mapuche territorial claims, ignoring Indigenous logic and identity.
00:48 - 01:01
Which adjectives in the excerpt express strong value judgments?
00:48 - 01:01
Many Mapuches find the question discriminatory and malicious since it challenges their belonging to their territory.
01:01 - 01:26
Identify two verbs in past tense from the excerpt.
01:01 - 01:26
The idea that Mapuches were “Chileans” began in 1878 during the Conquista del Desierto (Argentina) and the Pacificación de la Araucanía (Chile).
01:53 - 02:20
Why does the narrator say that generalizations are an error?
01:53 - 02:20
The Mapuche world is diverse; generalizing about them is misleading.
02:20 - 02:51
What does the word “mapuche” mean according to the excerpt?
02:20 - 02:51
Search for other 3 words in Mapundungun (Mapuche Language) and provide their translations to English.
02:20 - 02:51
The Wallmapu extended from the Pacific to the Atlantic, covering present-day provinces in Argentina and regions in Chile. Mapuche identity is linked to their territory
02:51 - 03:39
Cite one example of one verb in the preterite and one in the imperfect.
02:51 - 03:39
During the Industrial Revolution, Indigenous lands became economically valuable (livestock, cereals, wheat), increasing pressure from states. Chile took 90% of Mapuche territory and distributed it to settlers.
03:39 - 04:18
What resources does modern capitalism seek instead of wool?
03:39 - 04:18
In Argentina, the invasion displaced, killed, captured, and relocated many Mapuches; some were even exhibited in museums. Survivors provided cheap labor for ranches.
04:50 - 05:27
Cite two nouns related to the ongoing process of resistance in the Mapuche lands nowadays.
04:50 - 05:27
Mapuche resistance takes many forms — some peaceful, others more radical — as communities fight to reclaim territory.