Elicura Chihuailaf

This is a collection of poetry by four poets of indigenous Chilean (Mapuchean) descent, most of which have not been published previously. The poems deal with the lives of Mapucheans, who make up approximately 1 million of the 14 million Chilean population, and who only recently have been accorded full rights and increasing recognition by the government and majority community. These works are about the history and ancestry of the Mapuchean culture, and their place in the world (according to one author, "Mapuche" means "People of the Earth", and the culture emphasizes that humans are part of the earth, but do not own it, and must respect all of its inhabitants). Other poems deal with the cultural displacement and discrimination faced by Mapucheans, and the death of beloved ancestors and family members. Most of the poems were good, and several were noteworthy.

This book was published in 1998 by the Latin American Literary Review Press, and is part of the Poetry in Indigenous Language series, along with Pichka Harawikuna: Five Quechua Poets.… (altro)