Mapuche

American  

[mo-poo-chay, mo-poo-chay] / 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

See Examples For:

Mapuche Mapuches

Since the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s, the land once controlled by the Mapuche has been substantially whittled down across centuries of invasion, forced removals and purchases.

From New York Times ● Jan. 27, 2023

Several arson attacks and blockades took place early Thursday morning ahead of his visit to the Araucania region, where Mapuche groups have been demanding the return of ancestral lands for years.

From Reuters ● Nov. 10, 2022

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

But some Mapuches are hoping that the new constitution could bring more peace.

From New York Times ● Sep. 2, 2022

In 1987, John Paul II gave a pointed nod to Mapuches that surely prompted cringes within Pinochet’s government, which was unsympathetic toward indigenous groups and cracked down on any form of dissent.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 14, 2018

Since then, the Mapuches have made significant strides.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 14, 2018

Mr. Parvulesco says his politics defy easy categorization, but denies he wants to marginalize the Mapuches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2015

Temuco is seen as the capital of the Mapuches, an indigenous people who thrived here long before Europeans began arriving in South America five centuries ago.

From New York Times ● Jun. 24, 2015