Mapuche Rising
An ancient Chilean culture fighting for survival
The Mapuche are Chile's largest indigenous group. Much of their land has been appropriated by Chile, and now it's the Tolhuaca volcano - sacred to the group - which is under threat from construction plans.
In Central Chile, conflict is simmering between the Mapuche people and local landowners and corporations. Until the 1880s, the group owned swathes of land in Chile, but much of it was taken brutally by Pinochet. "The Chilean state broke agreements due to economic interests", explains community chief Alberto. Now, the sacred Tolhuaca volcano is under threat from plans to build a geothermal plant. "This is our fight, to recover what was stolen from us", says Belen, Alberto's daughter. But some shadowy groups have embraced violence under the guise of fighting for the Mapuche, leading some to politicians such as Gloria Naveillan to label the group "terrorists".
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