Resignifying the Chemamüll of the Natural History Museum of Concepción

Abstract

In Chile the development of anthropology and the museums was contemporary. Based on the social historical discourse promoted by European elites, anthropology gradually gave written form to the history and culture of colonized societies, while museums fulfilled the role of depository units for their objects. In this way, an order of colonial discourse was imposed on this material and immaterial record. Decolonial thinking allows a questioning of this legacy and the revision of current museological discourses, proposing an active participation of the communities of origin of the pieces in deposit and/or exhibited. Within the setting of this decolonial thinking, we present the experience of a participative research project aimed to analyse the current socio-cultural meanings and perceptions of the museum use of chemamüll exhibited in the Museo de Historia Natural de Concepción (Museum of Natural History of Concepción). The methodology used focused on dialogue and exchange of knowledge through different nütram and a trawün. The results obtained indicate that the chemamüll, as it represents the püllü of the deceased person, endows it with an intrinsic spiritual value, in such way that in the Mapuche ontology is comprehended and understood as a being. Considering this, proposals for a respectful museography emerge.