Araucanians

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Referring to the indigenous people historically inhabiting the south-central region of Chile known for their resistance against Spanish colonization; pertaining to their culture, language, or descendants; used to describe elements related to this ethnic group
2. Denoting the native inhabitants of southern Chile recognized for their fierce opposition to European conquest; relating to their traditions, society, or lineage; characterizing anything associated with this community
3. Identifying the original peoples of the Araucanía area in Chile noted for opposing colonial invaders; applying to their customs, heritage, or progeny; descriptive of matters connected to this tribal group

Etymology: The word is the plural of "Araucanian," so the name ultimately refers to a place rather than a people's own term for themselves. "Araucania" is the name of the region of southern Chile where these peoples lived, and the adjective was formed by adding the suffix "-an" to that place name, which produced a term for a person or thing from Araucania. The plural form simply refers to the group as a whole. The place name itself is a Spanish-era label, and the people it came to describe are now usually called Mapuche, a term from their own language. Readers encountering "Araucanian" in older books and maps are looking at a name chosen by outsiders, which is why many writers today prefer the Mapuche name.

Synonyms: Mapuche, Araucanian