Monday, December 3, 2007

Language and Culture of the Mapuche Nation

Mapuche spirituality is closely linked to the land and nature. All life is thought to emanate from the earth. The word Mapuche can be split into two morphemes mapu: meaning 'land' and che: meaning people. Similarly the word mapudungun is constructed from mapu: 'land' again and dungun: meaning 'speech'. (native-languages.org) The spiritual lives of the Mapuche are guided by leaders called Machi who are the mediums for communtication with the celestial family. Mapudungun is an oral language passed from generation to generation. Acording to Mapuche ancestral beliefs the language was derived from "listening to the land and all earthly elements, sounds and movements, including the animals, birds, trees, wind, rain, and even the mountain springs". Like many native languages of the Americas Mapudungun is in danger of dying out. There are organizations dedicated to the creation of an alphabet in order to preserve the language. (mapuche-nation.org)
Today the language is spoken on a daily basis in Chile. There is a resurgence of youth learning the language. The Chilean government has begun to cooperate with the Mapuche Nation in regard to education and there are schools that incorporate Mapudungun into their curriculum. The language is being recorded in the arts, poets write in the language, and there is Mapudungun dialogue in the movies. (Internet Movie Database)

Examples of Mapudungun


Mapudungun Word Set

English
Mapudungun
One
Quiñe
Two
Epu
Three
Cla
Four
Meli
Five
Quechu
Man
Huentru
Woman
Domo
Dog
Trehua
Sun
Anti
Moon
Cuyen
Water
Co


Mapuche Poetry

It was hard to find examples of poetry in Mapudungun, possibly because it was not until very recently a written language. There are efforts in progress to develop a Mapudungun alphabet in the interest in preserving the language. Poetry and mythology have also played their roles in this effort. Here are a few verses that I found posted on an internet forum from a contemporary Mapuche poet named Jaime L. Huenún Villa. I hope that the poet does not mind my use of his work here or my attempt at English translations of the Spanish text.


FENTXEN ÜL (Jaime L. Huenún Villa - poeta mapuche)

Kiñe nutxu ta puliwen geg
chef ta mülemum
ta pu kürew.
*
Peykiñ anümka
tami llawfeñ mu
müley.
*
Punwi müpüwi ko
wente antü ka wente
mawüza.
*
Kürü Pillmaykeñ,
txipaymi tañi pewma mu
fey konimi mapu mew
wüño kintunon.
*
Llampüzkeñ
txoltxo mew
kom egün pülpültukelu.
*
Mawüzantü kütxal,
antú ñi txufken.
Ragi antü tañi
mapu mew.
*
Wirintükunen tañi püllü zügu
pu mawüza mew.
Müpüwigün chi pu üñum
fey tañi pu ül mew mefürfigün
tañi wirintükuel.

CANTOS
SONGS

Un notro es la mañana
donde habitan
los tordos.

The morning is a notro (sort of shrub)
where
the thrushes live.
*
Árboles fantasmas
en tu sombra
hay.

There are
the ghosts of trees
in your shadow.
*
Honda vuela el agua
sobre el sol y el bosque.

The water flies deep
over the sun and forest.
*
Negra golondrina,
sales de mi sueño
y entras en la tierra
sin voltear.

Black swallow
you leave my dream
and enter the earth
without returning.
*
Mariposas
en el cardo
que todos evitan.

Butterflies
on the thistle
that everyone avoids.
*
Fuegos de montaña,
cenizas del sol.
Mediodía en mi
provincia.

Fires of mountain,
ashes of the sun.
Midday in my
province.
*
Escribo mi poema
en las hospederías del bosque.
Los pájaros vuelan
y borran con sus cantos
lo que escribo.

I write my poem
in the hospitality of the forest.
The birds fly
and erase with their songs
what I write.