Temuco, Chile

Temuco is a city in southern Chile, capital of the IX región de Chile (la Araucanía). It is located 670 km south of Santiago, and has a population of some 300,000 people.

Temuco means "water of temu", in Mapudungun (the language of the Mapuche). Temu (plant) is a medicinal plant used by the locals. Temuco is arguably considered the capital of the Mapuche, and has the highest percentage of people of Mapuche ancestry.

Temuco and its surroundings is also at the center of political mobilizations by Mapuche organizations and individuals who are trying to recover lands they feel were illegally taken away from them. Mapuches have carried out a number of demonstrations, civil disobedience, and in some cases, also violent actions against the companies and non-Mapuche individuals that now control the land.