Mapuche uprising of 1881
Mapuche uprising of 1881 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Mapuche rebels |
Republic of Chile Mapuche allies | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Luis Marileo Colipí Millapán Ñanco Esteban Romero Ancamilla |
Gregorio Urrutia Venacio Coñoepán | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
700+ dead* 300+ wounded* ca. 400 dead or wounded# | |||||||
*Between November 3 and 9 #November 10 at Temuco |
The last major rebellion of the indigenous Mapuches of Araucanía took place in 1881, during the last phase of the Occupation of Araucanía (1861–1883) by the Chilean state. It was planned by Mapuche chiefs in March 1881 to be launched in November the same year. Mapuche support for the uprising was not unanimous: Some Mapuche factions sided with the Chileans and others declared themselves neutral. The organizers of the uprising did however succeed in involving Mapuche factions that had not previously been at war with Chile. With most of the attacks repelled within a matters of days Chile went on the next years to consolidate its conquests.
Background
In the 19th century Chile experienced a fast territorial expansion. Chile established a colony at the Strait of Magellan in 1843, settled Valdivia, Osorno and Llanquihue with German immigrants and conquered land from Peru and Bolivia.[1][2] Later Chile would also annex Easter Island.[3] In this context Araucanía began to be conquered by Chile due to two reasons. First, the Chilean state aimed for territorial continuity[4] and second it remained the sole place for Chilean agriculture to expand.[5]
Between 1861 and 1871 Chile incorporated several Mapuche territories in Araucanía. In January 1881, having decisively defeated Peru in the battles of Chorrillos and Miraflores, Chile resumed the conquest of Araucanía.[6][7][8]
The campaigns of the Argentine Army against Mapuches in the other side of the Andes pushed in 1880 many Mapuches into Araucanía.[9] Pehuenche chief Purrán was taken prisoner by the Argentine Army and the Argentine Army penetrated into the valley of Lonquimay which Chile considered part of its legal territory.[9] The fast Argentine advance alarmed Chilean authorities and contributed to the Chilean-Mapuche confrontations of 1881.[9]
Abuses against Mapuches
During the period following the war of 1871 Mapuches in the Chilean occupied parts suffered many abuses and even murder by settlers and Chilean military.[10][11] One of the most notable cases was the murder of Domingo Melín in 1880 by elements of the Chilean military.[11]
...[Chileans] raped and killed my women and murdered my sons and impaled my women. How is that you Colonel do not want me to take arms when I have been treated this way?
— A Mapuche chief to Gregorio Urrutia after the uprising[12]
Pre-uprising events
In January 1881 the Mapuches of the Malleco zone rose against the Chilean occupation.[9] The town and forts of Traiguén, Lumaco and Collipulli were attacked.[6] In response the Chilean state launched a massive campaign not only to defend forts and settlements but also to push the frontier all the way from Malleco River to Cautín River.[6][7][8] Interior minister Manuel Recabarren was appointed by president Aníbal Pinto to oversee the process from the town of Angol.[7][8] Colonel Gregorio Urrutia was summoned from Chilean-occupied Lima to Araucanía to take charge of the Army of the South.[7]
Recabarren personally led a large column that established the forts of Quillem, Lautaro and Pillalelbún.[13] In this last place Recabarren was approached by local Mapuche chiefs who asked him to not advance beyond Cautín River.[13] Recabarren answered by telling them that the whole territory was being occupied.[13] At the founding of Temuco in the northern shores of Cautín River Recabarren met chief Venacio Coñoepán and other chiefs from Choll-Choll who also asked him to not advance further.[13] On March 28 Gregorio Urrutia founded the town of Victoria at the shores of Traiguén River.[14]
With the Chilean advance to Cautín River a small mountain range called Cadena de Ñielol remained a focus of Mapuche resistance from where warriors launched pillaging raids or attacks against vulnerable targets.[15] To end this activity Gregorio Urrutia established a fort in the range.[15]
Initially Mapuches offered little resistance to Chilean advance to Cautín River.
Planning of the uprising
In mid-March Venacio Coñoepán and other Mapuche chiefs met. In the meeting the establishment of new settlements was rejected and the chiefs decided to go to war.[17] They set 5 November as the date for their uprising.[20] Coñoepán opposed the uprising and according to Gregorio Urrutia he was unaware of date of uprising.[21]
Course of the uprising
During the uprising several Chilean forts and towns were attacked.
Quillem and Lumaco
A group of Arribanos attacked the fort of Quillem on the wrong date, November 3, by mistake.Quillem.[20] This attack alerted all Chilean garrisons in Araucanía, and settlers took refuge in the forts.[20] On November 5, 400 Mapuche warriors, allegedly led by Luis Marileo Colipí, attacked the fort of Lumaco.[22][23] After Chilean reinforcements arrived to Lumaco Mapuches retreated, and waited to hear news of the uprising elsewhere.[22][24]
Nueva Imperial
In Nueva Imperial suspicious Mapuche movements were noticed on November 6 and telegraphs were sent seeking help from Valdivia and Lebu. The town of Nueva Imperial was attacked on November 7. Defenders fled to the hills and the settlement was effectively destroyed.[25]
The coast
In the coastal region the mission of
Despite of having remained outside conflicts in the 19th century the Costinos of the northern coast joined the 1881 uprising.[28] Costino warriors, after having contributed to the destruction of Imperial and the engagements at Toltén, advanced north to Arauco.[29] Around Tirúa Costino warriors suffered heavy casualties in two engagements with a group of more than 400 armed settlers and campesinos plus some soldiers.[29]
Ñielol and Temuco
The most important engagements were held at the fort of Ñielol and Temuco located at the heart of Araucanía.
Aftermath
Uprising Mapuche chiefs were severely punished. When Gregorio Urrutia arrived to
If I, your friend, knows that you Ancamilla are involved in provocations and assaults, I swear I will build a fort above your ruka. If you remain peaceful nobody will touch you
— Gregorio Urrutia
Ancamilla was taken prisoner and sent handcuffed to a dungeon in Poblete.[35] The fort of Cholchol begun to be built on November 22 and gave with time origin to the modern town of Cholchol.[32] The rukas of other revolting chiefs were also razed.[36]
Luis Marileo Colipí who had allegedly attacked Lumaco was stripped of the more than 6,000 ha land he owned near Purén and his brother was taken prisoner and killed.[26] Luis Marileo Colipí managed to escape to Argentina. Little is known about his whereabouts there.[26]
References
- ^ "El fuerte Bulnes", Memoria chilena (in Spanish), retrieved January 3, 2014
- ISBN 956-11-1163-2.
- ^ "Incorporándola al territorio chileno", Memoria chilena (in Spanish), retrieved January 3, 2014
- ^ Pinto 2003, p. 153.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 156.
- ^ a b c Bengoa 2000, pp. 275–276.
- ^ a b c d Ferrando 1986, p. 547
- ^ a b c Bengoa 2000, pp. 277–278.
- ^ a b c d Bengoa 2000, pp. 273–274.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, pp. 269–270.
- ^ a b Bengoa 2000, pp. 271–272.
- ^ Ferrando 1986, p. 556.
- ^ a b c d e f Bengoa 2000, p. 281.
- ^ Ferrando 1986, p. 548
- ^ a b Ferrando 1986, pp. 550–551
- ^ a b Bengoa 2000, p. 286.
- ^ a b Bengoa 2000, p. 287.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 290.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 293.
- ^ a b c Bengoa 2000, p. 298.
- ^ a b c d Bengoa 2000, p. 313.
- ^ a b Ferrando 1986, p. 552.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 297.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 299.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, pp. 304–305.
- ^ a b c Bengoa 2000, p. 300.
- ^ . Retrieved 25 December 2013.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 294.
- ^ a b Bengoa 2000, pp. 310–311.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 314.
- ^ a b Bengoa 2000, p. 315.
- ^ a b c Ferrando 1986, p. 554.
- ^ a b Bengoa 2000, p. 319.
- ^ Bengoa 2000, p. 321.
- ^ a b Ferrando 1986, p. 553.
- ^ Ferrando 1986, p. 555.
Bibliography
- ISBN 956-282-232-X.
- Ferrando Kaun, Ricardo (1986). Y así nació La Frontera... (Second ed.). Editorial Antártica. ISBN 978-956-7019-83-0.
- ISBN 956-244-156-3.