Original article: “T(E)= Arte, raíces de la orfebrería en Ainyleufu”: Colección de joyas abre espacio de reflexión y valoración de la platería mapuche tradicional

T(E)= Art: Exploring the Roots of Jewelry Craftsmanship in Ainyleufu – A Collection Celebrating Traditional Mapuche Silverwork

«T(E)= Art: Exploring the Roots of Jewelry Craftsmanship in Ainyleufu» is a captivating jewelry collection that reflects a unique perception of time, embracing a cyclical and ancestral understanding where creation is both a vital and spiritual act.

Inspired by the local flora and fauna, the wisdom of indigenous peoples represented in the art of Rëtran (traditional Mapuche silverwork), and a forward-looking perspective on jewelry making, this collection will be inaugurated on Monday, January 12 at 19:00 at the Valdivia Municipal Cultural Corporation. It will be open to the public until January 22, with a guided tour scheduled for Thursday, January 15 at 11:00.

Visual artist and silversmith Tatiana Marina Villablanca has employed ancestral techniques during the creation of these 30 pieces, such as the use of coins and metal casting in clay molds.

This has resulted in a collection that blends traditional and contemporary jewelry, aligning with the cyclical and natural concept of time. It invites us to reflect on our environment and underscores the significance of traditional Mapuche silverwork from the Ainyleufu region as a living art form, maintaining the spiritual connection of individuals through the contemporary use of jewelry.

The art of silversmithing is a demanding craft, requiring not just manual skills but also emotional sensitivity, patience, fine motor skills, and resilience, along with the ability to interpret and materialize others’ ideas.

In this way, a piece of jewelry transcends its material value; by enduring over time and being chosen by its wearer, it evolves into an act of self-care and personal appreciation, bolstering self-esteem and fostering a connection to one’s identity through beauty.

Raised in close contact with the Huilliche community of Chiloé and currently a mother of two Mapuche children, Tatiana shares the importance and significance of developing and preserving this traditional art form.

«It is very important for me to continue in this craft as it represents both a political and artistic form of resistance; I also want my children—and other children—to learn it because it is a part of their culture, something alive and integral to who we are, and from which everyone can contribute with their own vision, creativity, and experiences. It is not easy to live from art and support a family in this country, where craft is just beginning to be recognized as formal work,» she shares.

The project, financed by the Valdivia Municipal Cultural Corporation’s Craft Fund (CONARTE), included the creation of a documentary capsule and three artistic mediation sessions held at Carboneros School, Fernando Santiván School, and Katemu Kindergarten.

These activities involved approximately 40 children, aged between 2 and 12 years. In each mediation session, they learned about the craft of Mapuche silverwork through the viewing of the video and participated in a creative workshop, where they made a piece of jewelry using materials such as beads and coins, engaging playfully and meaningfully with this traditional knowledge.

Furthermore, the project facilitated the establishment of an official website for the artist, conceived as a vital platform to enhance visibility and projection of her work.

This digital space extends the reach of the craft beyond the local territory and offers a reliable and permanent venue to explore information circulating on social networks. It contains details about her work as a silversmith, classes and workshops, photographs of her studio, available jewelry for sale, and the projects she is currently working on.

The collection’s inauguration includes a presentation by lamngen and educator Silvana Lamilla, showcasing the jewelry collection and the documentary capsule, offering the public a comprehensive experience that intertwines creation, mediation, and promotion of silversmithing.

The event, welcoming all community members interested in the art, will also feature the presence of lamngen Rosa Piña Millamán, president of the Mapuche Community Juan Quinén of Padre Las Casas, and lawentuchefe Rosa Curgúan, who has actively participated in the project, enhancing the understanding of the use of silver jewelry in relation to Mapuche medicine, particularly its connection with medicinal herbs and their specific uses.

An invitation will also be extended to individuals and families from the educational communities that participated in the mediation sessions. The day will culminate in a closing cocktail.

The Citizen