List of Mapudungun placenames

The following is a listing of placenames from the Mapudungun language, generally from Chile and southwestern Argentina.

Note: this list includes only currently used placenames that have a Mapudungun etymology for at least part of their name

## A

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Abtao | end/limit of the territory | Los Lagos | channel, island | contested
(pro[1] con[2][3])
Achao | sandy and protected harbour | Los Lagos | beach, channel, city/town |
Aconcagua | place of heathers | Valparaíso, Mendoza | mountain, river |
Allipén |  | Araucanía, Bío-Bío | river |
Ancud | to dry | Los Lagos | city/town, gulf |
Anticura | sun stone | Los Lagos | river, village |
Antihue | sunny place[4] | Los Lagos | hamlet |
Antillanca | sun/light green quartz[4] | Los Lagos | volcano |
Antimahuida | sun/light mountain[4] | Los Lagos | village |
Antuco | sun and water | Bío-Bío | volcano |

## B

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Buchupureo | Big Wave | Limit between VII & VIII Regions, Chile |  |
Bariloche | from Furiloche: people from the other side of the mountain | Los Lagos, Río Negro | city/town, mountain pass |
Bío-Bío |  | Araucanía, Bío-Bío | river |
Boldo | from folo, a shrub (Peumus boldus) | La Araucanía |  |
Bucalemu | big forest | Valparaíso |  |
Butacura | big stone | Los Lagos | hamlet |

## C

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Caburgua | dug with a spoon | Araucanía | lake, waterfall |
Calafquén | lake like a sea | Araucanía, Los Ríos | lake |
Calbuco | blue waters[4] | Los Lagos | channel, city/town, peninsula, volcano |
Caleufú |  | Neuquén | river |
Callaqui |  | Bío-Bío | volcano |
Calle-Calle | lot of Iridaceaes | Los Ríos | river | once called Guadalfquén
Carahue | the city that was | Araucanía | city/town |
Carelmapu | green territory[4] | Los Lagos | headland |
Carirriñe | green chusquea coleou cane | Los Ríos, Neuquén | mountain pass, river |
Carrenleufú |  | Chubut | city/town |
Catirai | callyíi, to cut, and raigheii, the flower of the trees, meaning short flowers[5] | Bío-Bío | valley |
Cau-Cau | kawkaw 'seagull' | Los Ríos | river |
Chacay | Discaria serratifolia[6] | Atacama | valley
Chacao | protected harbour | Los Lagos | bay, channel, village |
Chapelco | chapel (a local bush) water | Neuquén | mountain, river |
Chiguayante | "chiguay" fog "antu" sun | Bío-Bío | city | \-
Chillán |  | Bío-Bío | city |
Chiloé | chille 'small seagull' and -we 'place' | Los Lagos | archipelago, island |
Chimbarongo | crooked head or place between fogs | O'Higgins | city/town |
Choshuenco | yellow water | Los Ríos | city/town, volcano |
Cochamó | confluence/estuary[4] | Los Lagos | bay, river, village |
Conguillío | water with Araucaria araucana pine nuts | Araucanía | lake |
Copahue |  | Bío-Bío | volcano |
Colhué Huapi | red island | Chubut | lake |
Concón | place of owls | Valparaíso | city/town |
Coñaripe | way of the warrior | Los Ríos | city/town |
Cucao | Pteroptochus[4] | Los Lagos | bay, lake, river |
Curarrehue |  | Araucanía | city/town |
Curicó | kurü 'black' and ko 'water' | Maule | city/town |
Curimón | kurü 'black' and man (abbreviation of mañke) 'black condor' | Valparaíso | town, village |
Curiñanco | kurü 'black' and ñamko 'red-backed hawk' | Los Ríos | beach, village |

## D

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Dalcahue | place of canoes | Los Lagos | city/town |
Dollinco | mussel water | Los Lagos | river |

## F

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Futalafquén | big lake | Chubut | lake |
Futaleufú | big river | Chubut, Los Lagos | river |
Futrono | from Futronhue: place of smoke | Los Ríos | town/city |

## G

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Guafo | from Wafün: tusk | Los Lagos | island |

## H

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Hornopirén | snow oven | Los Lagos | village, volcano | once called Quechucaví; five districts
Huahum |  | Los Ríos, Neuquén | mountain pass, river |
Huapi | island | Los Ríos | island |
Huechuraba | clay birthplace | Santiago | commune/city |
Huerquehue | place of messengers | Araucanía | mountains |
Huilo-Huilo |  | Los Ríos | waterfall |

## L

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Lácar | place of landslides | Neuquén | lake |
Lebu | river | Bío-Bío | city |
Licán Ray | rock flower | Araucanía | city/town |
Limay | clear/clean | Neuquén, Río Negro | river |
Liquiñe |  | Los Ríos | town, river, hot springs |
Llaima | blood veins | Araucanía | volcano |
Llanquihue | hidden place | Los Lagos, Los Ríos | city/town, lake, river |
Lolol | land of crabs and holes | O'Higgins | commune/town |
Loncoche | head of an important person | Araucanía | city/town |
Loncomilla | gold of the lonco | Maule | river |
Lonquimay | summit | Araucanía | city/town, volcano |

## M

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Máfil | hugged between rivers | Los Ríos | town |
Maihue | wooden glass | Los Ríos | lake |
Maipo |  | Mendoza, Santiago | river, valley, volcano |
Malalcahuello |  | Araucanía | hot springs |
Mamuil Malal | corral of wooden sticks | Araucanía, Neuquén | mountain pass, village |
Mapocho | river of the Mapuche | Santiago | river |
Melipeuco |  | Araucanía | city/town |
Melipulli | four hills | Los Lagos | city/town |
Mulchén | people of the west | Bío-Bío | city/town, river |

## N

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Nahuelbuta | big puma | Araucanía, Bío-Bío | mountain range |
Nahuelhuapi | island of the puma | Neuquén, Río Negro | lake |
Nahuel Rucá | house of the puma | Buenos Aires | city/town |
Neuquén | sweep away | Neuquén, Río Negro | city/town, river |

## P

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Panguipulli | hill of the puma | Los Ríos | city/town, lake |
Pellaifa |  | Los Ríos | lake |
Peñalolén | fraternal meeting place | Santiago | city/town |
Pichilemu | little forest | O'Higgins | city/town |
Pillanleufú | river of the devil/spirit | Los Ríos | river |
Pilolcura | hollow stone | Los Ríos | beach, bay |
Pirihueico | snowy curvy water | Los Ríos | lake |
Pucón | entrance | Araucanía | city/town |
Puduhuapi | island of the pudu[4] | Los Lagos | island |
Puelo | east[4] | Chubut, Los Lagos | lake, river |
Pullinque |  | Los Ríos | lake, river |
Puyehue | place of sweet water fishes | Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Neuquén | lake, mountain pass, volcano |
Punucapa | black/fertile earth for legumes | Los Ríos | village |

## Q

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Quellón | from Queldon; Aristotelia chilensis | Los Lagos | city/town |
Quemchi | red/pottery earth | Los Lagos | city/town |
Quetrupillán | sleeping pillán | Araucanía, Los Ríos | volcano |
Quiapo | originally Cuyapu or Cuyamapu, meaning cuya, weasel and mapu land [7] | Bio-Bio | hill/river |
Quilicura | three stones | Santiago | commune/city |

## R

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Rahue | place of gray clay[4] | Los Lagos, Neuquén | city/town, river, village |
Rancagua | place of canes | O'Higgins | city/town |
Ranco |  | Los Ríos | city/town, lake |
Reloncaví | valley district | Los Lagos | estuary, sound |
Riñihue | place of Chusquea coleou | Los Ríos | city/town, lake |
Rupanco | shaked waters | Los Lagos | lake |

## T

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Talca | thunder | Maule | city/town |
Talcahuano | from tralcam wenu; thundering sky | Bío-Bío | city |
Temuco | from "Temu" (Blepharocalyx cruckshanksii)and "Co" water | Araucanía | city/town |
Tinguiririca | round/shining quartz | O'Higgins | city/town, river, volcano |
Tolhuaca |  | Araucanía | volcano |
Traful |  | Neuquén | lake |
Tralcan | thunder | Los Ríos | mountain |
Tromén |  | Neuquén | lake, volcano |
Tucapel | take by force | Bío-Bío | town |

## V

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Vitacura | big stone | Santiago | city/town |

## Y

[edit]

Placename  | Meaning  | Region (Chile)
or Province (Argentina)  | Type  | Comments

|
|
|
|

Yelcho | carry foam | Los Lagos | lake, river |

## See also

[edit]

* Araucanization
* Mapuche
* Huilliche
* Picunche
* List of Muisca toponyms

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Ramirez Sanchez, Carlos. 1988. Toponimia indígena de las provincias de Osorno, Llanquihue y Chiloé. Valdivia, Chile: Universidad Austral de Chile, Dirección de Investigación.
2. ^ Ibar Bruce, Jorge (1960). "Ensayo sobre los indios chonos e interpretación de sus tiponimias". Anales de la Universidad de Chile (117).
3. ^ Latorre, Guillermo (1998). "Sustrato y superestrato multilingües en la toponimia del extremo sur de Chile". Estudios Filológicos (in Spanish). 33: 55–67.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Nombres de lugar indigena de Osorno, Llanquihue y Chiloé Archived 2006-07-03 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile (Geographic dictionary of the Republic of Chile), SEGUNDA EDICIÓN CORREGIDA Y AUMENTADA, NUEVA YORK, D. APPLETON Y COMPAÑÍA, 1899. pg. 135
6. ^ Algunos topónimos indígenas de la zona de Copiapó Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
7. ^ Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile, p. 613-14

## Sources

[edit]

* Guiaverde - diccionarios (Spanish)
* Mapudungun.cl
* Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile (Geographic dictionary of the Republic of Chile), SEGUNDA EDICIÓN CORREGIDA Y AUMENTADA, NUEVA YORK, D. APPLETON Y COMPAÑÍA, 1899.
* DICCIONARIO MAPUCHE
* Diccionarios Ser Indigena, Lenguas Originarias de Chile
* Español - Mapudungun
* Mapudungun - Español

* v
* t
* e

Mapuche

Language|

* Huilliche
* Mapudungun
* Placenames
* Tsesungún

Culture|

* Aillarehue
* Butalmapu
* Chemamull
* Kalku
* Kuel
* Lonko
* Machi
* Medicine
* Military
* Mythology
* Polygamy
* Rehue
* Ruka
* Rüxafe (silverwork)
* Religion
* Textiles
* Toki
* Ulmen
* Wampu
* Weichafe
* Werkén
* We Tripantu
* Wenufoye
* Wünelfe

Related groups|

* Boroanos
* Cuncos
* Huilliche
* Mapochoes
* Moluche
* Pehuenche
* Promaucaes
* Puelche
* Picunche
* Poya
* Ranquel
* Tehuelche

Extant organizations|

* Consejo de Todas las Tierras
* Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco
* Federación Mapuche de Estudiantes
* Mapuche football team
* Resistencia Ancestral Mapuche
* Wallmapuwen
* Weichán Auka Mapu

History|

* Origin
* Inca invasion
* Battle of the Maule
* Spanish invasion
* Arauco War
* Slavery
* Malón
* Araucanization of Patagonia
* 1723 uprising
* 1766 uprising
* Guerra a muerte
* Camino de los chilenos
* Desert Campaign (1833–1834)
* Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia
* Conquest of the Desert
* Occupation of Araucanía
* 1881 uprising
* Mapuche conflict

| Parliaments|

* Paicaví (1612)
* Quillín (1641)
* Quillín (1647)
* Boroa (1651)
* Malloco (1671)
* Negrete (1726)
* Negrete (1793)
* Las Canoas (1793)
* Tapihue (1825)
* Toltén (1869)
* Coz Coz (1907)

|

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