ARAUCANIZATION Meaning and
Definition
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Araucanization refers to a process by which the culture, language, and societal practices of the indigenous Mapuche people are adopted or influenced by the dominant Spanish culture. The term originates from the Araucanian, which is a linguistic and geographical term related to the Mapuche people inhabiting Chile and parts of Argentina.
The concept of Araucanization emerged during the period of Spanish colonization in South America, when the Mapuche people fiercely resisted the Spanish conquest. Over time, however, as Spanish rule became more established, certain aspects of the Mapuche culture and society began to assimilate and adopt the Spanish influences. This process involved the introduction of Spanish language, religion, customs, and institutions that gradually replaced or blended with those of the Mapuche people.
Araucanization represents a complex phenomenon that encompasses both the imposition of a dominant culture on the indigenous population and the selective integration or adaptation of elements from the dominant culture into the indigenous culture. It often leads to a transformation or hybridization of indigenous traditions, practices, and beliefs. Araucanization can also involve the displacement or marginalization of indigenous languages, customs, and ways of life that are deemed incompatible with the dominant culture.
Today, Araucanization can be observed in various aspects of Mapuche society, including language shift towards Spanish, changes in traditional forms of governance or social organization, and alterations in indigenous art, music, and religious practices. The ongoing process of Araucanization raises questions about cultural identity, power dynamics, and the preservation of indigenous heritage in the face of cultural assimilation and globalization.
Etymology of ARAUCANIZATION
The word "Araucanization" is derived from the term "Araucanía" and the suffix "-ization".
"Araucanía" refers to a geographical and cultural region in southern Chile and Argentina, historically inhabited by the Mapuche people. The Mapuche were a group of indigenous peoples who fiercely resisted Spanish colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The suffix "-ization" is a noun-forming suffix that denotes a process or act of making something or someone acquire or possess certain characteristics.
Therefore, "Araucanization" as a whole refers to the process or act of adopting or assimilating the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the Mapuche people or the Araucanía region.
