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Tara L. Brandenburg
Tara is a 2006 graduate of Mountain Home High School and a junior at the University of Idaho. She is spending a semester studying in Chile and will blog frequently about her experiences there.
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Cultural differences, but same humanity

Posted Thursday, August 14, 2008, at 3:35 PM
A group of friends during a going away party

What makes us as North Americans different from Chileans? Aside from location, obviously, a number of historical factors played a large role in the development of both cultures and both distinct peoples

Reading through my history text book, the picture becomes more clear. The same trend occured during the 17th and 18th centuries on both continents; a massive influx of European immigrants. While the English colonized the modern day United States, the Spanish were colonizing what is now Chile. A large part of this process included how the respective governments delt with the indigenous populations. This point in history made a huge difference in the two cultures.

In North America, the government and immigrants from Europe persecuted the Native Americans as they pushed farther and farther to the West Coast. After many famous battles and fierce fighting, the Native Americans lost the war and the European culture dominated.

However, in Chile, the natives were not exterminated, the Spanish killed many of them in battle, but after the conquer, converted them into workers, so the indigenous culture remained a large part of the overall Chilean culture.

Today in the United States, Native Americans have reservations (as in Chile), but the Native American heritage harldy contributes to the overall culture and very few people are of native american descent. In Chile, a majority of the people(90% I`ve heard) are of mestizo (indigenous, Spanish, or other European immigrants) descent with varying levels of indigenous heritage. Here in Chile, Mapuche words can be found in every day usage, indigenous art can be found in every artesan fair, and many Mapuche holdays are celebrated. These historical differences account for many of the cultural differences (definately not all).

I wasn~t sure what to expect for my life here in Chile, but I~m surprised to realize that should have been my only expectation- life. No matter the latitude, longitude, climate or language, all people hold the same basic principles dear- loving families, security, warm home life and mainly eachother. Outside of all cultural and political differences, it comes down to humanity, which makes us all the same.

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  • Taken from wikipedia...

    "Chile's ethnic structure can be classified as 30% white, 5% Native American and 65% predominantly white mestizos. Whites are mostly Spanish in origin (mainly Castilians, Andalusians and Basques), and to a much lesser degree from Chile's various waves of immigrants (Italians, Germans, Israelis, Yugoslavians, Arabs, etc.)"

    "The current Native American population is relatively small (see below) according to the censuses; their numbers are boosted when taking into consideration those that are similar physically and those associated to them either linguistically or socially."

    "At the 2002 census, only indigenous people that still practiced a native culture or spoke a native language were surveyed: 4.6% of the population (692,192 people) fit that description; of these, 87.3% declared themselves Mapuche."

    Too bad... they're slowly dissapearing :(

    -- Posted by Crazyjumper on Fri, Aug 15, 2008, at 11:19 AM

  • Dear tara, if you read this I'm tito and i want to talk about your work. i think that you're right, here our natives people never has lose a battle, they has been fighting for more that 500 years, with aztecas, spain and the actual goverment. In your country i listened one time that the european people try to kill all your indigenan people and i think that with this action you "win" time respect us, because our native people only know stone and arrows at this time, here only he lived the day, they didn't think so much. our native people are a kind of people borned to fight and kill, no for think. this little difference now is more big, but no so big. our style of life is different. if you go to turquey or this kind of country you will see poor hous for us, but normal house for him, it's diferent. Here we have poor people, but so more poor people for your eyes. this words is about your report in "las Ultimas Noticias", because there the talked about your kind of think about this, i think. well a more think that i think, but i will tell you someday, so bye.

    sorry for my english

    Héctor Urra

    -- Posted by Porteño on Fri, Aug 15, 2008, at 4:27 PM

  • @ Tara and Crazy Jumper

    Hello ...

    This is the Chilean government and i will be asking for both individuals to surrender themselves into the closest Chilean Police Station for immediate arrest ...

    kidding ...

    Realistically, both parties in regards to who are the Mapuche's and they're genetic contribution to society is a controversial subject with a large amount of unproven, and anecdotally provided evidence ...

    The reality is that the Mapuche's were/are a group of American Indians whom at one point inhabited the region inclusive and south of what is now considered 'Patagonia' ...

    Most Chileans (percentages are highly suspect, as any racialist and AmerIndian nationalist may change, or apply for changes to wikipedia entries -> bias is widespread) most 'ethnic chileans' posses to some degree American Indian ancestry, with varying percentage changes according to the individual family. Most immagrint communities, especially those who migrated to Chile as refugee's post 1st/2nd world wars, generally do not posses AmerIndian ancestry.

    Specific Mapuche contributions are also suspect, as Mapuche's ethnically, as Chile pre-Hispanic colonialisation was a region consisting of various AmerIndian groups (i.e. Huillches, Changos, Pinunches etc). Im not arguing that Mapungdun culture was the prevaltent AmerIndian culture in the Central/Southern Chilean region, just not the only one. For instance, northern Chileans may have Inca/Atacaman AmerIndian contributions, as southern ones may have Mapuche contribtuions.

    But again, statements made, including my own, are at best anecdotal ... and people may of course dispute this due to personal bias ..

    However, Tara you were correct to a large extent, Mapuche cultural contributions to Chilean national identity have been enormous, from food to ... well food and language ... you were spot on!

    @ Hector Urra ... The Mapuche's fought and resisted Incan Agression. Aztecs are a from Central America!

    -- Posted by Whoodini on Sun, Aug 17, 2008, at 10:03 PM

  • Hola Tara

    Le' tu entrevista en las Ultimas Noticias y te quiero decir que comparto plenamente las diferencias que existen en este pa's. A pesar m'o, se en carne propia como se dan esas diferencias, las que pueden ser resumidas en "como te ven te tratan, tanto puedes demostrar en tus ingresos es a lo que puedes acceder en términos de educaci--n, salud y hasta de emprendimiento"...las posibilidades incluso para los profesionales son cada vez menores. Cada vez crece el interes por querer buscar nuevos horizontes en otras latitudes...que el salario sea capaz de cubrir lo esencial y poder vivir sin sobresaltos.

    Tara mis felicitaciones y gracias por decir y escribir nuestra realidad. A ti no te podrán boicotear ya que eres extranjera.

    Me encantar'a que cuando vengas a Santiago pudieras visitarme, Soy una persona que le gusta compartir amistad con personas extranjeras y conocer otras culturas y en mi casa son bienvenidos.

    Laura

    -- Posted by lcontreras on Sun, Aug 24, 2008, at 12:26 AM
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