Every winter solstice, Chile commemorates the National Day of Indigenous Peoples, a date that recognizes the spiritual and cultural depth of the indigenous peoples who have inhabited this territory for millennia. It is also an opportunity to make visible those who, from their communities, sustain and revitalize that legacy in the present.
Four women, from different peoples and disciplines, embody this living continuity. They are educators, artisans, entrepreneurs and leaders who have turned their craft into an act of cultural resistance and collective construction.
They are also part of the UN Women's Originarias Program supported by Teck, which promotes leadership, economic autonomy and the exercise of indigenous women 's rights. Through training processes, collaboration networks and technical support, Originarias promotes the valorization of ancestral knowledge and recognizes women as pillars of social and cultural sustainability.
Four voices, one legacy
Luisa del Carmen Quechupan
Intercultural educator and founder of the cooperative Kuifi Yegen ("Rebirth of the past"), Luisa has dedicated her life to transmitting the Mapuche cosmovision to new generations through various manifestations, such as the loom. In her view, "the loom, more than a craft technique, is a form of ancestral writing; a profound symbol of Mapuche identity that has endured for centuries".
María Eliana Jofré
Beekeeper of the Atacama Desert and member of the executive committee of the Centro Originarias, María Eliana shows off her Aymara heritage through the production of honey that fuses ecological practices with respect for Mother Earth. "From the heart of the desert, our honey unites ancestral knowledge and ecological innovation. It is an act of care for Pachamama".
Esmeralda Ramos
Facilitator of the Originarias Program and founder of a cultural group of ancestral crafts in San Pedro de Atacama, through her Lickanantay heritage, Esmeralda promotes the empowerment of women from their own roots. "I dream that every woman will recognize herself as valuable and powerful, sustained by the strength of her ancestors. May we remember what we are: roots, community and living wisdom.
Mónica Thompson
Artisan goldsmith and ceramist, Mónica participates in the Originarias Program with a proposal focused on cultural transmission through manual creation. Her work honors the Diaguita territory and the historical role of women as weavers of memory. "The hands of indigenous women weave memory and territory. Each piece is history worked with intention and respect".