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

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

In Santiago’s main square, demonstrators were greeted by a wooden “chemamüll” statue, traditionally carved by the Mapuche to represent the dead.

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

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

Since then, the Mapuches have made significant strides.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 14, 2018

A Mapuche choir will participate in the Mass, and afterward the pope will have lunch with a group of Mapuches hand-picked by local bishops.

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

So the city’s hosting of several matches in this summer’s Copa América — South America’s 99-year-old international soccer championship — has been a chance for advocates to press issues facing Mapuches before an international audience.

From New York Times ● Jun. 24, 2015

A year ago, he founded an organization called Fundación Chile Intercultural to promote the rights of Mapuches and to foster a better understanding about their cause among the general population.

From New York Times ● Jun. 24, 2015