Mapuche
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Machi
Machi are shamans from Mapuche myth. Machi are differentiated from Kalku by their benevolent nature and roles in society. The Machi and Kalku balance each other representing good and evil respectively. Machi are most commonly women, though this refers to gender and its presentations rather than biological sex. Gender is relatively fluid among Machi and is judged on different standards, being anatomy, positioning in sexual contexts, and ritual presentation. Machi are often stigmatized as witches or sexual deviants in modern society and are frequently subject to bigoted beliefs. They are known to use familiars and will become possessed by these familiars to navigate the spirit world. Their job is to…
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Kalku
The Kalku are evil magic users from Mapuche myth. They’re often compared to witches and sorcerers and send out spirits called Wekufe to do evil. Kalku and Machi are sometimes considered the same thing, with the Machi simply being good rather than evil. They are believe to dwell in a Reñu, meaning a Witch’s Cave. They may gather young girls in the cave and teach them magic, called Kalkutun, and swear them to secrecy. They may draw power from their ancestors or any others that they gather into their circle. They can cause illness or take over the will and actions of their victims. They can attack people by linking something…
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Waillepen
The Waillepen is a form of undead shapeshifter from Mapuche myth. They are thought to take the form of animals, though they may sometimes appear as a horrific conglomeration of animals, commonly a cow and a sheep. They can also appear in the form of a human. They are evil creatures living in swampy woods known to spread disease and attack newborn animals and babies, causing blindness. It is because of these attacks that blind people are sometimes referred to as Waillepen themselves. They are vampiric creatures that feed on flesh and blood, but also chase prey for extended periods to feed on their fear. The Waillepen can only be…
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Chonchon
The Chonchon are mythical creatures from the Mapuche people of Chile. They’re a vampiric form of witches with vulture-like heads and some believe it is an undead creature. Sometimes they take the form of birds with the head of a Kalku and they can shapeshift to appear as people with large ears. They’re a form of Wekufe, summoned by a Kalku and hunted by the Machi. They swoop down and knock people to the ground, ripping out their throats to feed on their blood. They can be driven away by warriors using weapons enchanted by a Machi, but can only be killed by Familiars of the Machi turned into snakes…
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Cherufe
The Cherufe is a creature originating from the myths of the Mapuche and Araucanian people of Chile and Argentina. The Cherufe is thought to inhabit magma pools and active volcanoes, and the body of the Cherufe is thought to be made of the same molten materials. The Cherufe is described in various manners. – Some in cryptozoology believe the Cherufe to be an undiscovered species capable of living in magma pools. Often these are depicted as lizard-like humanoids. – Some stories say that the Cherufe came to earth as cannibalistic giants disguised as comets. Sometimes they’re described like dragons, or giant humanoids with reptilian skin. These Cherufe prey on any who…
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Antu
Antu is a deity from Mapuche and Araucanian mythology representing the sun, light, wisdom, and spirits. He is seen as the principle Pillan spirit and the total opposite of darkness and the physical world. He has a son who became a monstrous snake called Trentren Vilu, and is married to Kuyén who represents the moon. Eclipses have been called Lay-Antu and Lay Cujen, meaning death of the sun and death of the moon respectively. He is seen as the enemy to Peripillán, and it’s thought he rested in the mountain of Piri Pillén. Citations: Cruz, Eduardo Agustin. The Grand Araucanian Wars (1541–1883) in the Kingdom of Chile. United Kingdom, Xlibris…
