Araucanian

Araucanian, name of several tribes of Native Americans of the Araucanian linguistic stock, inhabiting various areas of central and southern Chile and western Argentina. The principal surviving Araucanian tribes are the Mapuche, Huilliche, and Picunche. When first seen by outsiders in the 16th century, the Araucanians lived in small villages and subsisted on small-scale agriculture, hunting, and fishing. Their staple crops were corn and potatoes. Today the chief occupations of the Araucanians are farming and cattle raising. Many own their property. They are also skilled at fashioning beautiful silver ornaments, saddles, leatherwork, and pottery and at weaving blankets and shawls. Others are soldiers, teachers, and politicians.

Probably the fiercest and boldest of the Native South Americans, the Araucanians waged relentless warfare in defense of their tribal domains for more than 200 years, repeatedly turning back the Spanish intruders. The capacity of the Araucanians to resist began to weaken late in the 18th century, but they did not finally submit until 1881. The first phase of their struggle against the Spaniards is immortalized in La Araucana (1569-1589), the famous epic poem by the Spanish soldier and writer Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga.

See Native Americans of Middle and South America: Central and Southern Andes.