Mapuche Plies of Mapuche tells the philosophical and spiritual foundations of their people for centuries, originally using the silver coins that they obtained through trade with other indigenous peoples and the Spanish settlers. However, Only in the hands of a man the jewels of the Mapuche families are usually born. A traditional ring (chaway) moon -shaped for single women. A pectoral ornament (Keltatue) to represent heaven, earth and the fluctuations of life. A bracelet that gives several laps to the wrist (trarikuc, of the Mapuzungun trari and KUCtie the doll) as a symbol of commitment. However, Today there are few who manage to interpret and recreate their symbologyeven more tin is the figure if they are women.
The Mapuche Platero Juan Painecura He has been studying the history and worldview of his people for 50 years and is currently part of the board of directors of Crafts Foundation of Chile. Painecura explains that Rütrafe It is a compound word: Rütra It is a metallic object and faith It is the action of polishing the metal; Therefore, it is the one who gives life to metals. Faced with that concept, he assures that Mapuche silverware is also a matter of women: «Women are those who traditionally have the most important role within family generational lines, so it is a pleasure that you can make jewels, reproduce and live from them.»
As for the silverware of Chile, it is the time of women.Carola Vargas
Unlike the tissue techniques that inherited from girls from their mothers and grandmothers, Eight artisans that make up the Platas de Mariquina group, in the Los Ríos regionThey claim that they were chosen. Before your first approach in the year 2008none of them had worked with metals.
“We wanted to learn to conserve this trade. We put together a group of fifteen women, mostly Mapuche, and we were looking for a teacher to teach us. Thus we arrive at the Raimundo Cona ”, they tell in the book PROARTESANO 2021. change seedsthat compiles the transformation of 17 artisan cultors and groups that integrated the Proartesan training program that implements Foundation Crafts in Chile throughout the South American country.