Waterscapes in Wallmapu: Lessons from Mapuche Perspectives

AIGO, JUANA DEL CARMEN; SKEWES, JUAN CARLOS; BAÑALES-SEGUEL, CAMILA; RIQUELME, WLADIMIR; MOLARES, SOLEDAD; MORALES, DANIELA; IBARRA, MARIA IGNACIA; GUERRA, DEBBIE

Geographical Review

Taylor and Francis

Año: 2020

0016-7428

This articlereflects on the worldings generated around waterscapes in the diverse Mapucheterritory, Wallmapu We contrast the responses of three Mapuche communities toexternal interventions and water availability in the Chimehuin and Lepá riversin Argentina, and the Huenehue river in Chile. The comparison reveals thenature of Mapuche waterscapes, the tensions provoked by the global economy andits impacts on water management. Mapuche communities establish an intersubjectiverelationship with water, securing and protecting their water supply.Waterscapes are constituted as living entities where human and non-humanstories converge and on which biocultural memory is periodically enriched inits response to a changing environment. We conclude that coexistence betweenMapuche and non- Mapuche worlds, however diverse the communities might be, is sustainedthrough equivocal relations and partial connections. Established views of watermanagement in Wallmapu could be greatly enriched by the Mapuche?s views andpractices.