Gloria is from Lonquimay. She works in the kitchen of the Pehuenche student house. In addition to Spanish, she speaks Mapudugun and studies at a prestigious university in Temuco. There are four student houses in Temuco, Chile, helping hundreds of Pehuenche students adapt to the city and to university life.

The concept of development is very different in Mapuche culture and they have suffered grave injustices at the hands of the Chilean government. From childhood spent in internados, or boarding schools, where all the teachers were winka (non-mapuche) and their mother language was not permitted.


mapudugun to español to english:

Ñuke newen = madre de fuerza = mother of forces / energy
Ñuke mapu = madre tierra = mother earth
Chaltu Mai = gracias = thank you
Weni = amigo = friend
Shumblaymi? = ¿Como estas? = How are you?
Kumelekan = bien = good
Shem? = ¿que? = what?
warriya = ciudad = city
antu = sol = sun
küyen = luna = moon

April 4, 2005

Pato, Mari, Gloria, Marta, Oscar, and Manuel all drove me to the bus station in one little red jeep that continually stops in the middle of the road. And what a weekend! Full of piuke (heart) and newen (energy).

Two visits to the countryside to get fresh chicha (organic apple juice) and to wander amongst the wild apple trees. Marta, in the photo above, is standing in front of a huge container of fresh apples, which using a car jack, they press and turn into the tasty chicha drink.


the numbers in mapudugun:

1 = quiñ
2 = epu
3 = kila
4 = meli
5 = kechu
6 = kayu
7 = regle
8 = pura
9 = a'iya
10 = marri