Climate change and water: scientific knowledge and Mapuche-Pehuenche local knowledge

Abstract

This article seeks to understand the ef-fects of climate change and their relation to water from scientific knowledge and knowledge of the Mapuche-Pehuenche communities from Lonquimay commune, La Araucanía region, Chile. The theoretical framework considers the regulations of national states and the theory of social representations. Also, it considers the Mapuche perspective with the concepts of social memory and relationship with knowledge. This study applies a qualita-tive methodological approach, with an intentional sample of inhabitants of three communities. The results reaffirm the existence of the concept küme mogen, within the framework of itrofill mogen, as a local knowledge not considered in the development of strategies for the adapta-tion of the effects of climate change and water availability. It also reveals the idea of an integrated work between science, politics and civil society for the benefit of the communities’ inhabitants.