Araucanization of Patagonia facts for kids
The Araucanization of Patagonia was a time when the Mapuche people's culture and language, called Mapudungun, spread. This happened from their home in Araucanía (in what is now Chile) across the Andes mountains into the plains of Patagonia. Historians believe this expansion took place roughly between the years 1550 and 1850.
Native groups living in the Pampas region, like the Puelche, Pehuenche, and Tehuelche, started using the Mapudungun language. Even their names are from Mapudungun! Mapudungun was one of the few native languages, like Quechua, Aymara, Guarani, and Nahuatl, that grew in use after Europeans arrived. This part of Patagonia stayed mostly separate from European settlements until the late 1800s.
Mapuche Life and Trade
Many Mapuche people who moved to Patagonia lived as nomads. This means they moved from place to place instead of settling down. When European settlers built new towns, the Mapuche would sometimes raid them. They would take cattle or other goods. These raids were called malones.
The Mapuche would then take the stolen cattle to Chile. They would travel through mountain passes to trade the cattle for other items. The main path for this trade was known as the Camino de los chilenos. It was about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) long. This trail went from Buenos Aires Province to the mountain passes in Neuquén Province.
Important Leaders and Conflicts
A powerful Mapuche leader named Calfucurá (also known as lonco) crossed the Andes from Chile around 1830. He came to help the native people in the Pampas. This happened after Juan Manuel de Rosas, who was the governor of Buenos Aires, began fighting a group called the Boreanos. However, some stories say that de Rosas actually asked Calfucurá for help.
In 1859, Calfucurá led 3,000 warriors to attack Bahía Blanca in Argentina. Many other Mapuche groups also got involved in Argentina's internal conflicts. This continued until a major event known as the Conquest of the Desert.
To stop the cattle raids, Argentina built a deep trench in the 1870s. This trench was called Zanja de Alsina. Its purpose was to prevent cattle from being driven west. It also helped to mark a boundary for the raiding tribes in the pampas.
The Conquest of the Desert
Argentine leaders were concerned about the strong connections between the Mapuche tribes and Chile. They worried this would give Chile too much influence over the Pampas. Both Argentina and Chile claimed the land of Patagonia. The Argentine government feared that if there was a war, the native people would side with Chile. This could bring the war very close to Buenos Aires.
In 1872, Calfucurá and about 6,000 of his followers crossed the pampas. They attacked the cities of General Alvear, Veinticinco de Mayo, and Nueve de Julio. Many settlers lost their lives, and a huge number of cattle (around 200,000) were taken by the Mapuche back to Chile.
After this, Argentina organized its military forces. They launched what they called the Conquest of the Desert. For years, they fought against the native people. It is thought that more than 5,000 native people lost their lives or were taken captive during this large attack. The Argentine soldiers, numbering about 6,000, had new Remington weapons, which made their victory easier. The Argentine Army had very few losses, with only 13 soldiers losing their lives. This big victory was seen as proof of European power and was celebrated in art. For a long time, the 100 peso bill in Argentina even showed a picture honoring the Conquest of the Desert.
See also
In Spanish: Araucanización para niños
