Bariloche, Northern Patagonia, Argentina, 8.Jan.2008
Last Sunday we visited a cultural presentation of a community of Mapuche indigenas ("Feria Cultural Mapuche"), which they offer every weekend to visitors. It was 90 km south of Bariloche, but we were able to go there and back by public bus.
In general many of the Mapuche stopped hiding their indigenous identity, and (re-)gain self-esteem of their origen, their language, and their culture. They said until shortly it was dangerous for indigenas to be identitfied. In 1993 the Mapuche of both Argentina and Chile jointly created a Mapuche flag (which includes the color red to remind of the bloodshed the English Conquistadores and their successors caused among the indigenas).
It is a community of 13 families, who does this "Feria Cultural Mapuche", quite an effort for such a small group. But there are active members in that community who want to revive the language and culture. And there are only 8 Mapuche communities in the great area here.
Since a couple of years the 1st 4 years of the public schools in Mapuche communities are run as 'escuelas interculturales', in which Mapuche culture is tought, additionally to the usual curiculum. Additionally the Mapuche conduct Saturday schools, in which young and old together learn Mapuche language, culture, food, and customs.
The Mapuche told us a lot about their symbols, and that they regularly perform ceremonies at a special designated forest, but strictly without visitors. For those ceremonies they have musical instruments, some are played by both sexes, but some only by men, or women. Those are made of wood, skin, horn, plastic hose (originally wooden sticks like bamboo, bent with heat), and also an instrument from Europe, known in Bavaria as "Maul -trommel". Originally made from bones. Everyone has a personal melody, different from everybody else's, since everyone is different to everybody else.
2 birds are of special symbolic meaning to them:
One, called "Tero", because it is very attached to its territory, esp. its nest, and defends it. It utters loud sounds at intruders, and stays in its terrritory, even if e.g. a street or airport is built there. As a matter of fact, some weeks ago, in Parque National de Chiloe, Sabine and I got attacked by this sort of birds on a walk, when we hiked. The 3 birds uttered angry sounds, and several times flew directly towards us, turning only about 4 m before they would have hit us. Made me think of Hitchcock and gave me the goosebumps.
The other bird is the 'Nandu', similar to at oystrich (however that is spelled). It is strictly monogamous, very 'family oriented', and male and female alike care for the little ones together.
(Juergen)
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