The Mapuche people celebrate We Tripantu between June 21 and 24, a very important ceremony for their ancestral culture. The date coincides with the winter solstice, when our planet reaches its maximum distance from the sun: that night is the longest on the calendar, and the following days are even longer.
From We Tripantu onwards, the sun "begins to return" and nature undergoes multiple changes: the rains arrive, bringing forth new shoots, rivers renew their waters, birds rise early, and animals shed their coats. The Earth's energies are renewed.
For the Mapuche worldview, this astronomical phenomenon represents the “rebirth of life, a new cycle of life,” explains the lonco of Lago Ranco, Luis Huaiquimilla, promoter of the project “Kochi Mongen Rescuing Wild Fruits and Their Preparation.”
The Ranco Municipality's Tourism Unit explains that while We Tripantu, being a religious ceremony, is not open to tourists unless invited by the communities, "this does not prevent the date from being a good opportunity to learn more about Mapuche culture through the various services offered in the area, such as rural tourism and handicrafts."
Ester González, owner of Camping Calcurrupe, located in the province of Ranco, explains that this date generates a lot of interest among tourists who come to the area.
“For me, We Tripantu is a time of renewal for the spirit, for the Earth, for the Sun; it's like starting a new day and a new dawn. In our case, at the campsite, we organize a special day, starting at 7:00 a.m. We invite tourists to experience renewal and meditation in the midst of nature, next to the river. This allows them to renew their strength and energize,” he says.
This allows us to tell visitors what this ceremony is about and its significance to the Mapuche people. "Afterwards, we have breakfast, which could be a Mapuche breakfast, with tortilla, milcao, sopaipillas, catutos (mültrün), and wheat coffee," Ester explains.
Lorena Sepúlveda, owner of the rural inn El Canto del Chucao, on the shores of Lake Ranco (Illahuapi Peninsula), which has trails and native forest, among other attractions, explains that on this date, conversations are held with visitors on the subject, which allows them to get closer to Mapuche culture.
“We celebrate We Tripantu at the community level. Later in the afternoon, discussions can be held around a fire. Those who want to, in addition to hiking and kayaking, can also visit the gardens and craft workshops; the area has a wealth of natural and cultural attractions.”
The tourist destinations offered by Ruténica.cl allow you to learn more about Mapuche culture and experience the We Tripantu ceremony and its significance. Here are some of these destinations.
–La Isla Park - Salto La Olla: Located in the town of Pilmaiquén, Puyehue commune, about 45 minutes from Osorno, La Isla Park - Salto La Olla, a pristine six-hectare forest, receives up to 100 national and international visitors daily who want to escape from everyday life and surround themselves with the beautiful landscapes that this territory offers. Managed by the Mapu Pilmaiquén community, who have inhabited the area for more than a century, it is an interesting opportunity to learn about and connect with the ancestral Mapuche culture ( https://shorturl.at/qyGHN ).
–Getting to know our ancestors on Huapi Island: On this full-day tour, you'll enjoy breakfast at the campfire, a basic Mapudungun workshop, an intercultural guide, a visit to wool, wood, and medicinal herb crafts. You'll also visit heritage sites, enjoy a picnic lunch, and a Mapuche worldview workshop ( https://shorturl.at/rzJMX ).
–Guided tour of Fortín Mapuche + voucher for Typical Gastronomy consumption: This is a walk through the history of the Mapuche people's resistance, which recounts and relives the different strategies of their great toquis and defenders of their culture and land, such as Colo Colo, Caupolicán, Jaqueneo, Lintur, and Lautaro, represented by Chemanus (wooden men). The trail takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and its archaeological history dates back almost 600 years ( https://t.ly/EWCH ).
–Ancestral knowledge and guided experience in Puerto Octay: Doraliza Ester Hueichan, a Huilliche artisan passionate about her mapu (land), her witrales (looms) and her traditions, is in charge of the tour that will take you on a guided experience through the countryside with her typical clothing and a natural panoramic view of the place and where we can appreciate the Puntiagudo, Osorno and Calbuco volcanoes; We will share ancestral knowledge respecting the process and the care of the raw materials, how the vegetables are harvested to begin the wool dyeing process. What does it include?: Witral materials and tools, their accessories, wool, Cumiyal witral weaving and tasting ( https://bit.ly/3MIjbwW ).
–Mapuche Astronomy Tour–Panguipulli: This surprising experience includes a talk on ancestral Mapuche wisdom and cosmological mythology, as well as deep-sky observation using telescopes. The tour lasts two and a half hours and also includes a gourmet dinner featuring agroecological products and sustainable cuisine ( https://shorturl.at/cloy3 ).