Ul: Four Mapuche Poets : An Anthology (Poetry in Indigenous Languages) [Paperback]

Cecilia Vicuna (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Series: Poetry in Indigenous Languages | Publication Date: October 1, 1998

Poetry anthology. Native American Studies. Latino/a Studies. UL: FOUR MAPUCHE POETS is a collection of work by contemporary Chilean poets Elicura Chihuailaf, Leonel Lienlaf, Jaime Luis Huenun, and Graciela Huinao. Written in the poets' native Mapudungun and Spanish, and appearing with English translations, these extraordinary poems celebrate the rich indigenous heritage of Chile and provide rare insight into a culture that remains largely unknown. "The mystery of midnight has always stirred me. / It would seem the heavens dropped sharpened knives / to earth, cutting the night in two. / I think of my mother at midnight 14 October / 1956 when my mouth became filled with the South." (Graciela Huinao, "Semblance of a Biography"). This collection includes a useful introduction by Vicuna, with extensive notes, as well as a glossary. It is co-published with the Americas Society as one of two unprecedented anthologies appearing in trilingual format. Editor Cecilia Vicuna is a Chilean poet and author of UNRAVELLING WORDS AND THE WEAVING OF WATER (Graywolf). Translator John Bierhorst is the author and translator of CANTARES MEXICANOS and FOUR MASTERWORKS OF AMERICAN INDIAN LITERATURE.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Spanish (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Latin Amer Literary Review Pr (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0935480994
• ISBN-13: 978-0935480993
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,074,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chilean Indian poetry, May 30, 2000

By 

M. J. Smith (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Ul: Four Mapuche Poets : An Anthology (Poetry in Indigenous Languages) (Paperback)

John Bierhorst, the translator of this volume, is a translator whose work I trust. In this bi- and tri-lingual text, he has justified my confidence in him.

The poets translated in the volume have a varied amount of "Indian-ness" - some speak the Indian language of the group with which they identify, some do not. The poems themselves range from poems that show a non-Spanish aesthetic to those that are openly "Spanish" in some sense. For example, a poem by Jaime Luis Huenun is titled "After Reading So Much Cesar Vallejo", and three poems of Graciela Huinao remind me of the sparseness of haiku.

My favorite of the poets in Elicura Chihuailaf whose poems center around blue - a color with strong ties to the Indian culture. These poems are perhaps the most Indian, but the poems are universal in the depiction of humanity and its relationship to the rest of nature while being accessible and particular in terms of images.

These poems are well worth your time.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quite interesting, but nothing I had hoped for, December 11, 2007

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mianfei - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Ul: Four Mapuche Poets : An Anthology (Poetry in Indigenous Languages) (Paperback)

I bought "Ul: Four Mapuche Poets" primarily because of my interest in the languages of the world and the lack of information on the indigenous languages of South America and reasonable prices. Also, I hoped for an insight into the indigenous culture of the Southern Cone.

However, "Ul: Four Mapuche Poets" actually has nothing on the Mapudungun language apart from a few texts. Most of the work is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Nonetheless, this is not a bad read because it does give some very valuable information about the culture of the Mapuche and especially their relationship with the wider culture of Chile. The information provided about the history of this culture since Europeans settled in Chile actually matches any of the poetry included in this short volume, which possesses a remarkably classic and universal beauty in its description of the Southern Chilean (around 40 degrees South) environment.

Of the poets themselves, Chihualaf and Lienlaf, who do write in Mapudungun, uses themes not out of place in Europe itself, whereas Huenun, who writes only in Spanish, is the one who focuses on the issues of indigenous justice beloved of the Left in North America and Australia. Graciela Huenao, who also writes only in Spanish, is somewhat intermediate thematically between the two. Having read very little poetry, I must confess I know very little what I see hear does appear beautiful and touching like the best folk songs.

All in all, this is quite interesting as a source of cultural information, even if it does not show even the basic linguistic knowledge I had hoped for. Useless for the linguist, but for the poetry student highly valuable.