"Mapuche" comes from "mapu" (land or earth), and "che" (people). Thus they are "the people of the earth". The Mapuche culture first appeared in the South of Chile, in the province of Araucania. In the 16th and 17th Centuries they stopped the advance of the Incas, conquered a big portion of the Patagonia in Chile, and began to relate to the "Pehuenches", an ethnic group that lived in the mountains. Eventually the Pehuenches adapted Mapuche language and traditions.
In the 19th century, the Mapuches/Araucarian arrived to what it is today Neuquen, Argentina, and from there they expanded to the extended pampas initially populated by other ethnic groups named "Tehuelches", "Pampas" and "Ranqueles".
Mapuches held a long resistance to the advance of landowners. They were able to take the ranchers' horses and mastered the art of riding. By 1885, after many battles between Mapuches and the Argentinian army, they were defeated, and retreated to the desert.
Today they live in the southern regions of Chile and in the Argentinean provinces of Chubut, Neuquen, Rio Negro, La Pampa and South of Buenos Aires and Mendoza.
Some have become activists for the protection of their rights. Many are losing their language and few of the younger generation speak it. Their well-known and difficult art of loom-knitting is also being lost, as most daughters don't learn it anymore. Mapuches live in small villages, but many have fled to the cities for better jobs and education where they often deny their origins.
Some are Roman-Catholics, others evangelical. But most still hold the traditional rites and beliefs. Mainly they believe that there is a god called "Nguenechen", literally "the owner of people", and make collective prayers and rituals, called "rogativas". In each tribe there is a "machi", a kind of witch-doctor. They believe that every tree, animal, river, etc. has a divine spirit which they worship.
They need to be able to keep their culture and language. They need to be embraced by the true love of God, and learn that He is the only true One.
Pray that God will have compassion for them and raise missionaries who will teach them the Gospel respecting their love for nature and traditions. Pray also for deliverance from practices that bind them and keep them in poverty.
Scripture Prayers for the Mapuche, Araucanian in Chile.
Profile Source: Anonymous |
People Name General | Mapuche |
People Name in Country | Mapuche, Araucanian |
Alternate Names | Araucanian; Mapudungun |
Population this Country | 1,650,000 |
Population all Countries | 1,784,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 5 ● |
Unreached | No |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 4 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | |
People ID | 13526 |
ROP3 Code | 106296 |
Country | Chile | ||
Region | America, Latin | ||
Continent | South America | ||
10/40 Window | No | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | Not ranked | ||
Location in Country | Araucanía, Bíobío, Los Lagos, and Los Ríos regions: Arauco, Bíobío, Valdivia, Osorno. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Country | Chile |
Region | America, Latin |
Continent | South America |
10/40 Window | No |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | Not ranked |
Location in Country | Araucanía, Bíobío, Los Lagos, and Los Ríos regions: Arauco, Bíobío, Valdivia, Osorno.. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Primary Religion: | Christianity |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 29.42 %) |
70.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
20.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
9.00 %
|
Other / Small |
1.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Mapudungun | |||
Language Code | arn Ethnologue Listing | |||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||
Total Languages | 2 | |||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Mapudungun |
Language Code | arn Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 2 |
Secondary Languages | |
Spanish | |
People Groups | Speaking Mapudungun |
Primary Language: Mapudungun
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1901-1930) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1997-2011) |
Bible-Complete | No |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Film / Video | God's Story video | God's Story |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Mapudungun | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | LUMO film of Gospels | Bible Media Group/LUMO |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Mapudungun | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Bible app direct APK download | SIL |
Mobile App | Download audio Bible app as APK file | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Mapudungun | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Download scripture in this language | eBible.org |
Photo Source | Andy McCullough |
Map Source | Wart Dark - Wikimedia |
Profile Source | Anonymous |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |