Juan Carlos Peña Axt
Orcid ID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7689-566X
Universidad Autónoma de Chile
juan.pena@uautonoma.cl

María Teresa Huentequeo Toledo
Orcid ID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3001-5003
Universidad Autónoma de Chile
mthuentequeo@yahoo.es

Sandra Cayupan Constanzo
Orcid ID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6424-5838
Universidad Autónoma de Chile
sandra.tsocial@gmail.com

Abstract:

This paper is a result of some research carried out in rural areas of Temuco and Padre las Casas (Chile). This study accounts for Mapuche women’s perceptions and daily situations in shared married life (VCC, as per its initials in Spanish) between two women and one man in shaping families among Mapuche communities in Temuco and Padre Las Casas. This study is one of qualitative nature and exploratory scope, using life stories as the data collection tool. The results of this study show that as long as processes of cultural socialization are kept, there is an increasing acceptance of coexistence in shared married life (VCC). On the contrary, when socialization processes are interrupted, VCC is lived under a prejudiced perspective, particularly due to the ongoing Chilean-becoming and ilegality upon this family practice. This has impaired the consolidation of this form of family life.

Keywords: shared married life; Mapuche woman; family; Mapuche communities.