Our proposal is to produce a documentary video on the Mapuche culture of Chile focusing on the testimonies and experiences of the elders and the youth of today.  Over the past 7 years Pachamama Conservation has been building relationships with Mapuche elders and youth.  The elders hold on to their traditional ways.  They have many songs, poems and stories to tell about their culture.  The youth also have stories to tell.  They have dreams of a better education and strive for a different life. This is a struggle between two worlds.  Mapuche youth no longer want to be poor.  Some decide to study in the city and never return to their homes and/or families to assimilate into Western culture.  Others return to their communities to help their people.  The elders would rather die than assimilate into the “Winka” (the traitor) way of life. 

The goal of the project is to tell the story of daily struggle for the preservation of the Mapuche culture through the voices of the youth and the elders.  It is also our hope that this documentary will help promote bilingual education for the Mapuche youth (since currently there is none).  A documentary of this type has never been done before.

This documentary will be done in collaboration with the Mapuche people in the 9th region in the Lago Budi community of southern Chile and Pachamama Conservation.