alvarino, the last Mapuche

For: Daniel Landa

Near Araucaria forests, between the Andes and glacial lakes of water lives a man named Alvarino. Maybe there just history, with his name, as to the shout only the echo of the mountains seems to respond.

Argentina has cornered the Mapuches, putting fences to paradise Patagonia. It happens worldwide, it is unavoidable: young people no longer want to light fires in a cabin if they can travel to other summers Facebook, which it is more enjoyable music from the iPod to the tam tam drums old, relieving internet more friends than unbearable loneliness of the austral winter.

We had met other young Mapuches, less delivered to the pace of progress, aware that their future is they, that their voices are the only ones left of a culture that is diluted as snow in spring. In San Martin de los Andes they have built a radio to send speeches to the world, as a drowning throwing messages in a bottle. It is fought from politics, from music, from the right, it challenges the Argentine government and the Chilean, Justice is required for a people who has lost their identity time and growing tourism industry.

Young people no longer want to light fires in a cabin if they can travel to other summers Facebook

Occasionally, culture wanes to become folklore, Silver necklaces or you outerwear, but it would be unfair not to mention the pride of the Mapuches. Some communities get up at dawn to offer their rituals to forests and rivers to see if nature just giving them a truce. Others pray to the Christian God to ask some sanity to the world, a new loom for weaving ponchos or a car or a computer, You go figure, They are already mixing priorities.

Young Mapuches are demanding a future, an identity and a land with admirable conviction. They have the oratory of Argentina, companies, convincing, but I am left with the eloquence of Alvarino, with its liquid eyes and the dignity of his beret. He does not talk too much, manufactures instruments that have lost the sacred sense of his people, that almost no one buys, but he does not move from its mountains, or go to the radios. He is being discussed only as young foregrounds in bars in the city. Maybe it's the last Mapuche without speech. Alvarino laments with a stronger sadness that all banners of the world.

Alvarino laments with a stronger sadness that all banners of the world.

I remember after the interview, Alvarino invited us to have a matte warm and living God who regret not being able to stay, but the rush, the damn pace of the city man, We did decline the offer so we went with haste giving reason, because in the continuing urgency of the white man -the winka- we break the peace of the Mapuches.

He stood there, looking mountains, Nothing more to say.

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Comments (3)

  • concha

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    What a shame , these cultures are lost!

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  • Olga

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    I am Olga cheuquehuala daughter Alvarino, where you get the book! I love what they write my dad is so real!
    regards

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  • Daniel Landa

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    Hello Olga!!!

    I am daniel, the author of the article and of the documentary where we interviewed Alvarino. What memories we left that meeting with your father!!. Please, Leave me your e-mail and I get in touch with you, or write directly to mail Travel Past (Down the page can). It is a joy to receive your message.

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