Conflicts for Control of Mapuche-Pehuenche Land and Natural Resources in the Biobio Highlands, Chile

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact that the Chilean government's land-ownership policies have had on the Mapuche-Pehuenche communities, especially with respect to the control of their territory and natural resources. The results show a tendency towards non-protection of their rights to control their territories with an increasing loss of autonomy and control over land. State intervention, together with large private investment projects, has generated socio-economic and territorial impacts in the indigenous areas, such as the migration of young persons, socio-cultural changes, and conflicts over access and use of ecological zones. The territorial re-ordering of the original Mapuche space, combined with its increasing appropriation by private actors and the Chilean government, has produced a subordinated integration of the indigenous communities with respect to national society. Este art�culo analiza los impactos que las pol�ticas territoriales de los gobiernos de Chile tuvieron sobre las comunidades Mapuche-Pehuenche, especialmente respecto del control de su territorio y recursos naturales. Los resultados muestran una tendencia hist�rica hacia la desprotecci�n de sus derechos a controlar su territorio y una p�rdida de su autonom�a y control sobre sus tierras. La intervenci�n del Estado, junto con los proyectos de inversi�n privada, ha generado impactos socioecon�micos y territoriales en las �reas ind�genas, tales como la migraci�n de personas j�venes, cambios socio-culturales y conflictos por el acceso y uso de zonas ecol�gicas. El reordenamiento territorial de los espacios originales de los Mapuche-Pehuenche, junto con su apropiaci�n creciente por actores privados y del Estado chileno, ha producido una integraci�n subordinada de las comunidades ind�genas con respecto a sociedad nacional.

Vivir la territorialidad: Turismo mapuche y desarrollo

“…Azócar and others mention that there are three Pehuenche communities who still maintain communal indigenous lands in the Bio-Bio region, all in the Queuco valley (Azócar et al, 2005). The usurpation and privatisation of Mapuche lands (Wallmapu) 5 began with the re-allocation of the indigenous people into reservations and had its peak during the military regime of Auguste Pinochet (1973Pinochet ( -1990.…”

“…The usurpation and privatisation of Mapuche lands (Wallmapu) 5 began with the re-allocation of the indigenous people into reservations and had its peak during the military regime of Auguste Pinochet (1973Pinochet ( -1990. With the application of Decree Laws N° 2.568 and N° 2750 of 1979 almost all communal titling was divided in individual plots of land in order to put a halt to the special status of indigenous peoples and integrate them in Chilean market economy (Aylwin, 2002;Azócar et al, 2005). According to Aylwin, an estimate of 72.000 individual plots were created out of 2000 Mapuche communities between 1979 and 1990 (Aylwin, 2002).…”

Vulnerability and resistance to neoliberal environmental changes: An assessment of agriculture and forestry in the Biobio region of Chile (1974–2014)

“…However, during the last decades some of these indigenous groups have had conflicts with forestry and hydropower corporations, in addition to the historical conflict for lands with the Chilean state (Montalba- Navarro and Carrasco, 2003;Azócar et al, 2005;Carrasco, 2011;Haughney, 2012;Parraguez and Barton, 2013;Bengoa, 1999Bengoa, , 2012.…”

An ecophysiographic approach for Araucaria araucana regeneration management

“…araucana is established as a representative symbol of the Chilean forest biodiversity because of its cultural and social importance (Donoso and Lara, 1995, Aagesen, 1998, Donoso, 2006. This species is a primary source of food and income for the Mapuche Pewenche community (Maletti 1997, Bengoa, 2000, Azocar et al, 2005. The Pewenche community obtains edible plants, firewood, livestock shelter and construction materials from these forests (Ladio, 2001, Aagesen, 2004.…”