Bulletin of Latin American Research. Volume 41(1). pp 1-16.
Most Indigenous peoples’ languages are considered severely endangered, and Mapuzungun is no exception. Mapuche associations in Santiago de Chile have implemented a series of workshops to revitalise the language and revert this trend. This article uses ethnographic data to analyse two interconnected aspects that have motivated members of Mapuche associations to participate in community language workshops, namely identity and community-building. Although they have contributed to reverse the loss of Mapuzungun in Santiago, the implementation of language workshops has been limited by a state socio-political framework that has historically reproduced colonial-based ideologies that have reinforced the subalternisation of Indigenous languages. This article highlights the dynamic interplay of Mapuzungun revitalisation with practices that reinforce coloniality.