The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of present-day south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of present-day Patagonia.
Los trempulcahue are mythical creatures in the form of 4 whales that live on the coast of present-day Chile. Their job is to escort the souls of the fishermen who died in the ocean to "Ngill chenmaywe" (a place where the dead reunite) to prevent the bad ghosts from taking the spirits away.
Each day, at sunset, 4 old women of Mapuche transform into Los trempulcahue to carry out their holy mission.
The living people can't see Los trempulcahue, and Los trempulcahue can also make the fishermen that they carry invisible by putting a type of rock called "llancas" next to the latter. With the help of Los trempulcahue, the dead can start their travel to the afterlife safely, until eventually transforming into pu-am, the universal soul that the Chileans believe in.
Whales
Bordering the ocean, Chile has many fascinating myths about marine creatures, and the natives had a close relationship with whales. The story of Los trempulcahue — portrayed as kind protectors of humans’ soul — reveals the Mapuche’s respective for whales.
Four
The fact that Los trempulcahue are four whales is worth taking notice of. “Fourness” signifies wholeness and completeness, and this concept appears in myths of many cultures. For example, in the Jewish religion, God created Adam by taking dust from the four corners
of the world. Can “four”, in the case of Los trempulcahue, also imply a state of perfection and holiness?
Old women
An interesting parallel appears between the Chilean and Chinese mythology with respect to the role of old women — like Los trempulcahue, an old goddess of the underworld named Meng po also helps the souls of the dead navigate to the afterlife (read about the story of Meng po). Is there something magical about old female goddesses?
Mapuche. (2020, June 29). Retrieved July 03, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapuche
Picture Source: Pinterest
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