Chile Uses Mapuche Tattoos to Teach Indigenous Identity

In Santiago and Temuco, tattoo artists collaborate with Mapuche elders to bring back ancestral body art symbols tied to strength, fertility, and spirituality. Sessions often involve storytelling, where clients learn about the cultural meaning before being inked.

This revival doubles as education and empowerment. For Mapuche youth, tattoos reconnect them to heritage, while non-indigenous Chileans gain deeper appreciation of local history through cultural respect.