Natural-Cultural Symbiotic Proposal in the Mapuche Territory of Arauco

Abstract

This investigation evaluates the manner in which the Mapuche occupy their territory and follows its transformational process in the Arauco Commune. The hypothesis seeks to determine if the Mapuche people have lost a natural-cultural symbiotic relationship with their environment. The applied methodology focuses on the characterization of the landscape in a qualitative and quantitative manner per the indigenous group’s context, beginning with 39 indicators of first generation, which were assigned and custom created. The study also included 8 main components or second generation indicators, representing a multidimensional analysis area, which were regrouped again to create a third generation indicator or Arauco Landscape Sustainability Index (ISPA). Each indicator was weighed against its components through the Hierarchical Analysis Process (PAJ), resulting with a single number to understand the commune sustainability situation, assessed in 4 periods of time (Century XVI, XVII, year 1960 and 2016). The analysis of the information proves a loss in the natural-cultural symbiotic relation. The final part of this work was the creation of a proposal of the ideal image, achieved with a systematization of the results and the current perception of the Mapuche communities through workshops and interviews. This allowed for an elaboration of a minimum community unity scheme for a quantified territory in hectares and averaged percentages. The proposal focus on the territory vision and recovery to achieve the Sustainability of the Mapuche Landscape.