Mapuche

American  

[mo-poo-chey, mo-poo-chey] / ˈmɒ puˌtʃeɪ, mɒˈpuˌtʃeɪ /

noun

Mapuche, plural Mapuches plural

1. a member of an ethnically diverse Indigenous people of Chile and Argentina.

2. Also called Mapudungan.  the Araucanian language of the Mapuche people, spoken in parts of Chile and Argentina.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Mapuche or their language.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Mapuche
  plural
• Mapuches
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Mapuche

First recorded in 1875–80; from Mapuche, equivalent to mapu “land” + che “people,” a self-designation

Example Sentences

Rafael Torres, a member of Chile's indigenous Mapuche community, is an avid Palestino FC fan who was at a recent rally in support of Gaza.

From Reuters • Nov. 7, 2023

Her single “Mi Ser Mapuche,” or “My Mapuche Self,” which came out this year, combines trumpets with the “afafan” — a Mapuche war cry.

From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2023

Barichivich sees himself as a third-generation protector of the tree and identifies with the Indigenous Mapuche people and their concept of the “spirit of the forest.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 16, 2022

The sprawling Patagonia region, which Argentina shares with its neighbor Chile, is often the scene of clashes with Mapuche communities claiming rights on ancestral lands held by the state or by private groups.

From Reuters • Oct. 7, 2022

But the referendum comes at a time when a long-simmering conflict between Mapuche indigenous groups and the Chilean state has escalated.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2022