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Mapuche regional flags (Chile and Argentina)

Last modified: 2007-04-14 by antónio martins
Keywords: lelfünche | kultrun |
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See also: Other sites:
  • BanMAP, Mapuche flags at the website of the Catalonian Vexillological Assciation

Location

These areas are in southern Chile (south of Bio Bio River) and the name is the indigenous (mapuche) name, original but unknown in the world. More information can be found in the rewiews of the Mapuche people.
Jaume Ollé, 24 Jan 1997

I found a map on line. There are spelling diferences and mismatched names comparing with Jaume’s report:

JaumeSerIndigena
HuillcheWilliche
PehuenchePehuenche
(or "Pewenche"?)
LafquencheLafkenche
?Pikunche
Huenteche?
?Mapuche
Nagche?

Yet another completely different set of subdivisions is shown on line in this historical/irredentist map of the Mapuche territory.
António Martins, 06 Jul 2004

About the flags

In the spring of 1991 in Valdivia was celebrated a convention called Meli Witram Mapu of the Mapuche People. The adoption of a national flag was aborted and 500 projects were presented. Five projects were selectioned for the five regions of the Mapuches (Lafquenche, Pehuenche, Huillche, Huenteche and Nagche).

The regional flags share a common symbolism:

  • red: blood derramed in the wars (against Spain, first, and after against Chilean Army and white chilean people)
  • green: Natura, earth
  • skyblue (celeste): sky, hope
  • yellow: sun, light
  • white: the Mountains of the Mapuche Land (snow some months of the year)
Three of the designs bear a central emblem named Cultrum, that represent the woman, the four directions (N, S. W and E), the perfect round of the Earth and the movement in the space.

Jaume Ollé, 16 Sep 1996

Lelfünche Mapuche community in Santiago

AMUL flag
image by António Martins, 05 Jul 2004

At the Millamap website you can see an urban Mapuche community in Santiago: Asociación de Mapuches Urbanos Lelfünche.
Olivier Touzeau, 09 Oct 2002

This flag shows the kultrun with a different elemnt order than the main Mapuche flag: Star is in the upper fly quadrant and the crescent is in the lower fly, and a “starfish” sun on the other two quadrants.
António Martins, 06 Jul 2004

Anything below this line was not added by the editor of this page.