In the mythology and beliefs of the Mapuche people, the "Machi" (Shaman), a role usually filled by older women, is an extremely important part of the Mapuche culture, even today and in parallel with Christianity. The machi performs ceremonies for the warding off of evil, for rain, for the cure of diseases, and has an extensive knowledge of Chilean medicinal herbs, gained during an arduous apprenticeship. Chileans of all origins and classes make use of the many traditional herbs known to the Mapuche. // The word mythology (Greek: μυθολογία, from μυθος mythos, a story or legend, and λογος logos, an account or speech) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use supernatural events or characters to explain the nature of the universe and humanity. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: belief Belief is usually defined as a conviction to the truth of a proposition. ... Mapuche (Mapudungun; Che, People + Mapu, of the Land) are the original Amerindian inhabitants of Central and Southern Chile and Southern Argentina. ...

The most important myths are, the legend of Trentren Vilu y Caicai Vilu, the Pillan spirits, the kalku, the Chonchon, the Wekufe spirirts (example: the Piuchen and the Nguruvilu), etc. In the academic fields of mythology, mythography, and folkloristics a myth is a sacred story concerning the origins of the world or how the world and the creatures in it came to have their present form. ... Kalku or Calcu, in Chilean folklore and the Mapuche mythology, is a witch or shaman, usually an evil one, but not necessarily. ...

See also

• Mapuche
• Machi
• Mapuche International Link
• Chemamull