Beingindigenous | Magazine

This instrument is much more than a drum. It represents a synthesis of indigenous world view. Its ceremonial use allows machi to connect itself with its divinities to thank, pray and even heal any illness.
By Iván Fredes

At first sight, is similar to a rustic drum. It is almost an essential souvenir for tourists. It has a semi-conical shape and a monotonous, listless, sharp and even tedious sound that is automatically associated with the indigenous cultures of the south of Chile.
Kultrün is the most sacred and important musical instrument of the Mapuche culture. Universe and the synthesis of the world are contained into that hollow trunk that is covered by goat leather. It is inseparable of machis (spiritual authorities) and allows the communion or connection with their divinities.
Kultrün is a Mapudungun (Mapuche language) composed word that means element, object or instrument of sound or echo (kul; element or object, and trün; sound or echo). In nguillatunes (important spiritual rogations) or machitunes (healing rituals), the Kultrün is always present. The monotonous sound allows machi to be in a trance during the invocation and contact with divinities which inhabits the intangible and mythical Mapuche world. According to researchers and compilers of that culture, is necessary to imagine the Kultrün like a half semi-round ball divided into three parts to understand the spiritual and material conception of the Mapuche world .
The top or wenu mapu (the upper land or the sky) is the space of kuwe newen (the forces of good), where the divine family, ancestors and good spirits inhabit.
The middle or nag mapu (the lower land or the ground), is where the Mapuche people inhabits and develops its daily life. This is the territory where good come into conflict with evil. The bottom or minche mapu (under the Earth or the hell) is the place where weda newen inhabits (the forces of evil).
When machi take part in a nguillatún, around rewe (wood totem), she plays the Kultrün and dances choique (dance), establishing contact with the forces of nature. Then she thanks, pray, beg to nguenechén (the Creator) what the good spirits or wenu mapu defeat the forces of evil or minche mapu.

Domingo Carileo, researcher, said that the Kultrün have to be made by a craftsman who is recognized by its knowledge of the Mapuche culture.
The main body of the instrument is carved or hollowed in a trunk of foiye (cinnamon tree) or triwe (laurel tree).
It must cut down in the püken (rainy weather) and before blowing it with an axe have to ask permission to ngen (forest owner)
Afterwards, cut the leather of trülke (goat) in circular shape. Then, boil it and scrape it with stones time and again to give it more flexibility.
Also, cut a long strips leather or braided horsehair to prepare strings which finally will join the leather and the Kultrün body.
Inside the hollowed trunk, put symbolic objects such as seeds or a handful of earth for fertility; grains for abundance; coins for prosperity and medicinal herbs for good health.
On the leather, craftsman draws two lines in such a way that divide the surface in four symmetrical parts.
These represent the four cardinal points where the four large Mapuches families inhabit: pincunches (Mapuches of the north); huilliches (of the south); pehuenches (of the mountains) and lafquenches (of the coast).
Representing their four stars or planets with their own gods, the circular points are distributed inside each of those four quadrant. The intersection represents the center of the world, where their own community and land are. Before assembling the Kultrün, machi puts a bit of smoke in which represents the energy of fire. Before the Kultrün is closed, machi add her voice inside with magical energy to obtain a perfect communion between the instrument and divinities. Finally, the instrument is consecrated by the machi in a familiar rogation called nguillatún man Kultrün (rogation of the Kultrün).
Machi and Kultrün will be together forever.

The Flood
According to the Mapuche worldview, in nag mapu or the territorial space which is represented over the surface or leather of the Kultrün, the origin of mankind was. According to epeu (oral stories or stories) collected by Arming Marileo, "the people of the earth" were born after a fierce dispute between good and evil. Kai kai represent the forces of evil that caused a huge and interminable flood for killing all living beings. Forces of good that was represented by treng treng (the snake) spared no effort to save people. In a fierce fight, kai kai made the waters rise but treng treng retorted with the rise of hills. After many fights, kai kai gave up.
When waters had dropped, there were only four survivors left at the top of the highest mountain: kuse (old man), fucha (old woman), ulcha (young woman) and weche (young man).
Just two young persons were allowed to be the beginning of people.
Original text in Spanish by ©2000 El Mercurio S.A.P
Translation disclaimer: Translator attempt to preserve the form and meaning of the original text as far as possible.

Other related sites:
http://ccrma-www.stanford.edu/~mejane/Aspects/Instruments/Mapuche/mapuche.html