Awkan and Mapuche
- Supernaturegirl
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Enjoy some metal music from the group Awkan!
Awkan is a band founded in 2005. The members are part of the Indigenous Mapuche people of Wallmapu, the lands that today are also known as southern Argentina and Chile. Awkan provides a great example of the movement to incorporate traditional musical instruments and language into genres of music today such as hip hop and heavy metal. You can find a full length album with the link. There are 12 songs and most of them feature the Mapudungun language (also called Mapuzugun, Mapudungo, or simply Mapuche).
The band’s name is complex and open to multiple interpretations, but they translate it in two ways on their YouTube page: “to be or feel free” and “territorial defence in times of usurpation.”
Their lyrics often tackle environmental conflicts or other struggles facing Mapuche communities in the past and present. For example, the first track “Lonco che” details the community organizing against mega mining and fracking, particularly conflicts that took place in the Junín de los Andes area in 2015. The “Kalfucura” song discusses the infamous 19th century Mapuche longko (leader) whose remains were stolen and kept in the Natural Science Museum of La Plata for years.
Despite the heavy lyrics, the album has an overall optimistic feel. Each song reinforces the message that the Mapuche People are not only still standing, but have the power to fight for and protect their lands and the che (people) that are inseparable from them.
Read more here:
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Quote:
“This album is dedicated to Mapuche people who resist in diverse ways, to communities that recuperate and defend the ancestral territory, to our families, to our children, friends, and those that use music as a tool of resistance.”
** Information was found by searching online resources, inaccuracies are possible.
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Language resources: VERBOS MAS UTILIZADOS CLASE DE MAPUDUNGUN - YouTube
I found the article about Awkan and the Mapuche really interesting because it explains the culture, traditions, and connection to land that the Mapuche people value deeply, especially through stories and heritage passed down over generations. While reading it during a busy study week, I also had a lot of coursework to finish, so I had to online Statistics class support to keep up with assignments while still taking time to learn about other cultures and histories. It reminded me that balancing school and curiosity about the world helps me grow in many ways.