Abstract

The territory of the Mapuche, which was independent until the end of the nineteenth century, has been under siege militarily and legally by the Chilean state since then, and there is no place in Chilean law for any form of indigenous territory. Chile's integration into the global economy and its acceptance of increasingly specialized international law have begun to influence Mapuche territoriality. While contemporary Chile operates according to the logic of markets and neoliberal economics, Mapuche territoriality has reappeared in a variety of collective forms ranging from the territory of a Mapuche Nation, to lof, and concepts such as "territorial identities" and "functional community." International law provides a framework for a process of decolonization that recognizes indigenous peoples' right to self-determination, and reinstates indigenous territoriality not only in terms of being designated as such, but also as a way of life. This article explores the dimensions and dynamics of Mapuche territoriality through the relationships indigenous groups maintain with national and international law. © QUADERNS-E DE L'ICA.