MAPUCHE RELIGION: WORLDVIEW AND GODS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Mapuche religion comprises a set of beliefs and religious myths of a group of indigenous people, the Mapuches, who during pre-Hispanic America occupied south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina.

Thus, this Mapuche religion was governed by a series of beliefs about the creation of the world and the deities and spirits that reside in it. In the mythology of this town, the machi (shaman) had a stellar role.

Machis (religious authority) playing the "kultrun"

Among her roles, the machi exercised religious, medical, adviser and protector functions of the people. This responsibility generally fell on older women and was an important part of Mapuche culture.

In addition, the machi was in charge of performing ceremonies to protect against evil, to call for rain and to cure diseases. Likewise, she was the possessor of extensive knowledge of Chilean medicinal herbs.

The machitun was the main healing ceremony performed by the shaman machi. It was an invocation to the ancestors. According to the Mapuche religion, they dominated the arts of disease diagnosis and healing.

Mapuche worldview

The universe

According to the Mapuche religion, the universe is made up of several superimposed planes. At the top is the wenu mapu or land above (wenu translates up and mapu means land).

In turn, the wenu mapu is subdivided into four platforms that represent good and one that represents evil. Those that represent good are meliñon, kelañon, epuñon and kiñeñon while that of evil is anqa wenu.

Good spirits, positive forces and Mapuche ancestors coexist on the four platforms of good. On the other hand, only negative spirits and monstrous beings dwell on the platform of evil.

On the other hand, the second of the planes is known by the Mapuche religion as nag mapu or earth from below. To this plane belong the natural world formed by man, animals and plants, and here good and evil coexist.

This plane is divided into four parts that represent the four cardinal points called meli witran mapu (the four corners of the world). These are Pikun Mapu (North), Willi Mapu (South), Puel Mapu (East), and Lafken Mapu (West).

Finally, there is the minche mapu (land below). According to the Mapuche religion, this level would be occupied by the evil spirits called wekufes. These spirits promote chaos and disease.

The creation

According to the Mapuche worldview, at first there was only air. Its owner was the Ngen spirit who lived with other spirits. Some of these spirits were transformed into stones, and by their weight they fell and formed the planet Earth.

Later, Ngen sent one of his sons to inhabit it. So that he was not alone, he turned a star into a woman. Because the newly formed Earth was hard, he ordered grass to be born so that it would not hurt when walking.

As the woman moved through the grass and played with the flowers, they transformed into birds, butterflies and fruits. Later, Ngen's son and the woman had children.

The young man was very happy with his wife, and made a hole in the air to look towards the Earth. When it did, it glowed and warm. The mother also saw through the gap, letting a soft white light filter through at night.

Women in the Mapuche universe

According to the Mapuche religion, woman was created first, and all other elements in nature come from her. This condition gives special privileges and meanings to women within this culture.

She has a close kinship with nature and especially with the earth in her role as mother-Ñuke (origin and nurturer of life).

For this reason, she is the one chosen by the spirits to assume the role of machi (spokeswoman for the spirits of nature).

Harmony in the

For this people, the earth is a space where animals, trees, rivers, people, spirits and both positive and negative powers coexist. The fundamental task of the Mapuche is to maintain a harmonious relationship.

So, men, women, the elderly and children are responsible for fulfilling it. Women do it as generators and caretakers of life, and men as protectors and projectors of life and culture.

On the other hand, older people bring experience, knowledge and wisdom, and children are obliged to prepare for their role. So there is a project to preserve the Earth for the future.

Gods of the Mapuche religion

The religious vision of the Mapuche culture was the existence of a world populated by spirits and gods dwelling in the heavenly heights. However, they believed in the existence of a supreme creator god of all living things.

Thus, in the Mapuche religion, gods and goddesses were invisible spirits who had specific and limited powers. Within this group were both good spirits and malevolent spirits.

Ngen, Ngenechen Nguenechen or Nenechen

He is the supreme being of the Mapuche religion. He is the sovereign owner and ruler of all creation. He is also known as Chau or Antü (father sun).

Kushe

This goddess was at the same time the wife and mother of Chau (Nguenechèn) who was the supreme creator god. She was also known as the Blue Queen, Moon, and Magic Queen.

Ngenemapum

He is the god of the Earth, according to the Mapuche religion. He was also the one who transmitted to the machi the knowledge of the medicinal value of plants. The machi requested his permission to use them in each of her healings.

Nguruvilu

He is the god of water, rivers and lakes. Generally, it is represented as a cougar or wild cat with a claw on the tip of its tail.

Wekufe

The wekufe are malevolent spirits, and the Mapuche believe they are always around. Wekufe can be made instantly visible or invisible. They manifest in the forms of animals, natural phenomena or ghosts.

Generally, they act on the orders of a sorcerer. However, they can act independently. The machis must constantly protect themselves and their community from the threat of the wekufe.

Hueñauca

According to Mapuche cosmology, it was an evil spirit that lived in the depths of the Osorno volcano. He produced fire and ruled a court of beings who could not speak. Often a male goat guarded the entrance to his cave.

Pillan

This was a fire spirit recognized as the god of thunder. It was feared because it could create earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It was also believed that it turned each Mapuche warrior killed in combat into clouds and volcanoes.

References

1. Lefío Ngenpin, AM (s / f). The mapuche universe. Equilibrium and harmony. Taken from mapuche.info.
2. Mapuche history. (s / f). Worldview. Taken from historiamapuche.cl.
3. Jiménez, J. and Alioto, S. (2016). World Tourists: Native Travelers in the Pampas and Araucanía (18th and 19th centuries). Colombian Journal of Anthropology, 52 (1), pp. 245-270.
4. National Council for Culture and the Arts. Government of Chile. (2013). Knowing the Mapuche culture. Santiago: Culture Publications.
5. The Big Myth. (s / f). The mapuche pantheon. Taken from mythicjourneys.org.
6. Pratt, C. (2007). An Encyclopedia of Shamanism. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group.
7. Barreto, O. (1992). Phenomenology of Mapuche religiosity. Buenos Aires: Abya-Yala Editions.