Mapuche people (Chile)

Last modified: 2003-07-18 by antonio martins
Keywords: mapuche | huillche | huenteche | lafquenche | nagche | pehuenche | cultrum | chile | contest | tehuelche |
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• Origin of the Mapuche Flags
• Tehuelche
• Location
• Huillche region
• Huenteche region
• Lafquenche region
• Nagche region
• Pehuenche region

See also:

• Native peoples of Chile
• Chile
• Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia
• South American indigenous peoples

In 1992, in the V Centenary of the discovery of America, the Mapuche people adopted a national flag that was presented for the first time to the Spanish king in his visit to Chile. The flag is based on the Nagche regional flag, but is quite different in the border, the stripes (only three) and the central emblem.
Jaume Ollé, 08 Nov 1996

In the spring of 1991 in Valdivia was celebrated a convention called Meli Witram Mapu of the Mapuche People. The adoption of a national flag was aborted and 500 projects were presented. Five projects were selectioned for the five regions of the Mapuches (Lafquenche, Pehuenche, Huillche, Huenteche and Nagche); afterwards, the discussion was continued for the adoption of a national flag (similar process was follow in New Caledonia).

The regional flags share a common symbolism:

• red: blood derramed in the wars (against Spain, first, and after against Chilean Army and white chilean people)
  
• green: Natura, earth
  
• skyblue (celeste): sky, hope
  
• yellow: sun, light
  
• white: the Mountains of the Mapuche Land (snow some months of the year)

The definitive national flag was approved in 1992. The Mapuche unified their traditional government in 1991 in the National Conference of Temuco (18-21 March). The Aukin Wallmapu Ngulam (Council of all the lands) dirige currently the Mapuche People.

Jaume Ollé, 16 Sep 1996

This flag, with very minor differences, is listed under number 201 at the chart Flags of Aspirant Peoples [eba94] as: «Mapu [Araucania] (Mapuche Indians) - Chile.».
Ivan Sache, 15 Sep 1999

The native Tehuelche in Chile they have flag own comunicated by the Organización de Comunidades Mapuche-Tehuelche 11 de Octubre. I suspect that the name is for the previous day that the spanish arrived to America.
Jaume Ollé, 11 Aug 1998

These areas are in southern Chile (south of Bio Bio River) and the name is the indigenous (mapuche) name, original but unknown in the world. More information can be found in the rewiews of the Mapuche people.
Jaume Ollé, 24 Jan 1997

This flag is very similar to the new flag of Seychelles, but remember that the Mapuche design was made in 1991.
Jaume Ollé, 16 Sep 1996