Kalku or Calcu, in
Mapuche mythology
The mythology and religion of the indigenous Mapuche people of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina is an extensive and ancient belief system. A series of unique legends and myths are common to the various groups that make up the Mapuc ...
, is a
sorcerer or
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
who works with
black magic
Black magic, also known as dark magic, has traditionally referred to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish purposes, specifically the seven magical arts prohibited by canon law, as expounded by Johannes Hartlieb in 145 ...
and negative powers or forces. The essentially benevolent shamans are more often referred to as ''
machi'', to avoid confusion with the malevolent kalku. Its origins are in
Mapuche
The Mapuche ( (Mapuche & Spanish: )) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who sha ...
tradition.
The word kalku is a borrowing from
Puquina language
Puquina (or Pukina) is a small, putative language family, often portrayed as a language isolate, which consists of the extinct Puquina language and Kallawaya, although it is assumed that the latter is just a remnant of the former mixed with Que ...
Its adoption by Mapuches fits into a pattern of parallels in the Mapuche and Central Andean cosmology (
Inca religion
The Inca religion was a group of beliefs and rites that were related to a Inca mythology, mythological system evolving from pre-Inca times to Inca Empire. Faith in the ''Tawantinsuyu'' was manifested in every aspect of his life, work, festivities ...
) dating back to the times of
Tiwanaku Empire when Puquina was an important language.
Description
The ''kalku'' is a semi-mythical character that has the power of working with ''wekufe
The wekufe, also known as huecufe, wekufü, watuku, huecufu, huecubo, huecubu, huecuvu, huecuve, huecovoe, giiecubu, güecubo, güecugu, uecuvu, güecufu; is an important type of harmful spirit or demon in Mapuche mythology. The word wekufe comes f ...
'' "spirits or wicked creatures". An example of a ''wekufe'' is the Nguruvilu
The Nguruvilu (from Mapuche language, Mapudungun ''ngürü'', "fox" and ''filu'', "snake"; also known as: ''Guirivilo'', ''Guruvilu'', ''Ñuruvilu'', ''Ñirivilu'', ''Ñivivilu'', ''Ñirivilo'' and ''Nirivilo'') is a creature originating from the ...
. The ''kalku'' also have as servants other beings such as the Anchimayen
The Anchimayen (in the Mapudungun language, also spelled "Anchimallén" or "Anchimalguén" in Spanish) is a mythical creature in Mapuche mythology. Anchimayens are described as little creatures that take the form of small children, and can transfor ...
, or the Chonchon
The Chonchon ( es, chonchón from arn, chonchon) is a mythical bird from Mapuche religion also present in Chilean and southern Argentine folk myth.
Legend
The Chonchon is the magical transformation of a kalku (Mapuche sorcerer). It is said onl ...
(which is the magical manifestation of the more powerful ''kalku'').
A mapuche ''kalku'' is usually an inherited role, although it could be a ''machi'' that is interested in lucrative ends or a "less powerful", frustrated ''machi'' who ignores the laws of the admapu (the rules of the Mapuches).
In popular culture
Kalku is the main antagonist of 2020 Annecy nominated Chilean-Brazilian featured animated film Nahuel and the Magic Book
''Nahuel and the Magic Book'' ( es, Nahuel y el Libro Mágico) is a 2020 Chilean-Brazilian animated fantasy-adventure coming-of-age film produced by Carburadores, co-produced by Chilean Punkrobot Studios and Brazilian Levante Films and directed ...
created by Carburadores and German Acuna.
See also
*Cacique
A ''cacique'' (Latin American ; ; feminine form: ''cacica'') was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, the indigenous inhabitants at European contact of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. The term is a Spa ...
*Warlock of Chiloé The Warlocks of Chiloé ("Brujo de Chiloé" or "Brujo chilote" in the Spanish language) are people of Chiloé Archipelago said to practise witchcraft linked to Chilote mythology. The warlocks may be real, purported or legendary persons. The source ...
References
*Ana Mariella Bacigalupo.Shamans of the foye tree: gender, power, and healing among Chilean Mapuche. University of Texas Press, 2007. ,
*Alberto Trivero. Trentrenfilú, Proyecto de Documentación Ñuke Mapu. 1999. (in Spanish).
External links
*http://www.mapuche.info/mapuint/Moylan990400.html
Chilote mythology
Mapuche mythology
Chilote legendary creatures
Mythic humanoids
Mythological characters
Witchcraft in folklore and mythology
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