"Alwe" is part of a complex concept of spirituality within the Mapuche worldview and that in a very partial translation could be defined as a type of soul that never leaves the place where the deceased lived. The story of Juan José Maripan, his territorial struggle and his commitment to the community make us imagine the intensity of his alwe still present in the beautiful hills and forests of the Aleucapi sector in San Juan de La Costa in southern Chile.
Story
Logline:
The death of a respected leader gives us a glimpse into the cross-cultural assimilation present in Mapuche funeral rites as well as the origins of the territorial conflict that besets Chile to the present day.
Synopsis:
Through the story of the funeral of Juan José Maripán Marileo, a respected member of the seaside community of San Juan de la Costa, this short documentary relates the influence of the legendary man “Gallito Catrilef” and the events which led Juan José to become a leader in the community of Aukamapu in the Aleucapi sector. It offers perspective on the origin of the territorial conflict which the Chilean state maintains to the present day against the Mapuche people.
Behind the Scene
by Pilar Ocampo Oyarzún
