Weupüfes and machis: canon, writing and gender in contemporary mapuche poetry

Abstract

In the context of the process of the incorporation of mapuche poetry into the Chilean literary canon, this work analizes the figures of the weupüfe and the machi in contemporary mapuche poets. The hypothesis is that an homological relationship exists between the female poet and the figure of the machi, and the male poet and the figure of the weupüfe. Due to this, it is possible to distinguish distinct mechanisms such as the identification and the knowledge of these practices at a written level; the membership to the public and the private domain; the inter- or intracultural function, and the feminine or masculine gender marks or prints, according to the case.