The Mapuche, the largest indigenous population of Chile, are the "people of the land". The term comes from the words Mapu, which means land, and che which means people.

Mapuche organisation gravitates towards the Lof, the extended family structure. Their social, political and cultural aspects are intermixed with their spirituality and the strong relationship between man and nature.

Political authority is placed on the Lonko or chief, while the spiritual leader is the Machi or wise leader (men or more frequently women), who usually has a deep knowledge of traditional medicine.

Mapuche are worldly recognized for their courageous resistance to all attempts of conquering them. Neither the mighty Incas, or the Spanish Conquistadores, or the postcolonial Republican government were able to subjugate them.