Open Collections

Droe, Anj

Database of Religious History (DRH)

The Tehuelche are an indigenous group residing primarily in Patagonia, Argentina and southern Chile. This entry focuses on ethnographic evidence collected during fieldwork with the Tehuelche from 1869-1870, at which time various types of contact between the Tehuelche and the Spanish, including missions and trade relations, had existed for over 300 years (Adem, 2009:1). In 1870, despite centuries of contact with the Spanish, the Tehuelche had maintained their traditional religious beliefs and practices. The Tehuelche believed in both a high god, who had little to do with human affairs, and troublemaking supernatural beings that are also referred to as devils. Religious specialists, who had powers that gave them the ability to treat illnesses, predict the future, and prevent harassment by the devils, played an important role in everyday life. For the Tehuelche, religious beliefs were inseparable from almost all aspects of social and political life. Therefore, this entry considers the religious group to be coterminous with the society at large.

Other

eng

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0423124

Non UBC

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/