| The purpose of this study was to examine how the Mapuche incorporate the Internet into their indigenous worldview, and how they use it as a tool of self-representation and identity construction. The Mapuche are one among many indigenous peoples who have turned to the Internet and other new media to disseminate their identity. Generally, this movement is accompanied by claims to the right of self-determination and demands for the restoration of traditional territory. At best, state responses to these claims are begrudging land concessions and at worst, flat denial. In such cases, the Internet allows indigenous peoples an uncensored voice in which they can express who they understand themselves to be, regardless of the identity foisted upon them by external perspectives. In addition to an examination of Mapuche worldview and communication patterns, the concepts of 'national identity' and 'indigeneity' are also explored, as they relate to the activities of current Mapuche activism and revitalization projects.;This research used a triangulated approach in order to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances surrounding this media use. The three legs of my research design include 1) archival research at the Instituto de Estudios Indígenas, UFRO in Temuco, Chile, as well as the Memorial and Historical Society Libraries in Madison, WI; 2) in-depth interviews with Mapuche leaders, journalists, and media consumers; and 3) a content analysis of Azkintuwe, a prominent Mapuche online newspaper. My epistemology was rooted in Indigenous Knowledge, which means that by using decolonizing methodologies I prioritized Mapuche concerns and worldview throughout the research.;This study culminated in two important findings. Cyberspace, the landscape of the Internet, is not typically thought of as indigenous space. However, through an examination of Mapuche communication networks, I have shown how this space is being incorporated according to a traditional understanding of socio-political territorial divisions. Additionally, within this space, Mapuche Internet users are trying to foster a national identity among Mapuche communities, using language as a focal point, in order to bolster legitimacy to claims of autonomy and self-determination. |
