The Land of Araucania, the Land of the Mapuche.

After we left the town of Temuco, we headed for the coast– to the town of Teodoro Schmidt (Germans had settled in that area, and thus the name.)

We knew we were headed into the land of Araucania.

Now known as the Chilean province of Araucania, the region was once the heartland of the Mapuche people, the indigenous people in that area. The Mapuche people valiantly fought off any conquest, fighting back both the Incans earlier and then the Spanish. The Spanish couldn’t subdue the Mapuche, and so left the land to Mapuche.

Finally though, the Mapuche were subdued when Chile became its own independent country separate from Spain and used its military powers to ultimately suppress the people and take over the land. This wasn’t until the mid 1850s. Chile allowed settlers from Europe to come settle on “free land,” further seizing the landscape.

The province of Araucania, as a part of Chile, now holds the most Mapuche population of any Chilean province. Signs are everywhere.  The architecture can still be occasionally seen.

The Mapuche flag still proudly flies over many households.

Their language is still holding strong– so far.

Even though subjugated and relegated to sub-class people, they still stand strong. Even now, they still stand strong against the ruling class, sometimes with violent repercussions. But they’re still there.

It was humbling to ride through this part of Chile.