Abstract

Social phenomena, defined as an assemblage of human and non-human components, invite to revisit the role that material aspects play in cultural processes. In the case of the mountain Mapuche communities, trees mediate between humans and water as well as with other forces of nature, becoming not only vehicles for memory but also links between nature and the supernatural and the sacred and everyday life. The analysis of the role played by tree species in Mapuche relationship with lakes and volcanoes reveals the existence of a complex landscape that influences community’s reactions towards external interventions. This role is clearly evidenced in the ritual practices and the construction of descansos (resting areas). This study acknowledges the role of material phenomena in the configuration of culture, inviting further research in areas that have not received enough attention while it challenges those theoretical approaches that excluded material aspects from their explanations of social processes.