Marichiweu

Long before the fist of conquerors,
Patagonia gave birth to people
who harvested Earth’s fruits
under the aegis of their wise gods.
Traditions flourished unhinged to creeds,
like mighty condors
soaring on currents of air.
Rituals marked elemental time
of water, trees and rocks;
soft pipes played ancient rhythms
of mapudungun,
myths of lands without fences.
Oral legends, not history books,
shared destinies harboured in memories.

Nature’s seasons
blessed by music of the spheres,
echoe from concave mandalas.
Now Mapuche reclaim truth and liberty
to quiet drumming of kultruns.
The power of regwe,
submerged under artificial lakes,
machi hail their God’s gift of sparkling rivers
and his tribes patiently await…¡marichiweu!

Mapudungun= Mapu: Earth, dungun= speech of the people.
Kultrun= concave drum with painted mandala.
regwe= sacred glades in the woods.
Machi= Healer and adviser.
Marichiweu= 10 times we will be victorious!