The celebrations for the Mapuche new year continue. Today, very early, the ceremony of the Wiñoy Xipantu in the Forest of Life, within the premises of the National University of Comahue. The first one that is carried out in the house of higher studies, after having been declared the Argentina’s first intercultural university at the University Assembly that took place on March 12 and 13. “The existence of our native peoples and their culture cannot be discussed again. This is not a problem, but it is for society when there is an Argentina with an exclusive climate,” said the rector of UNCo and doctor in History, Beatriz Gentile.
The Wiñoy Xipantv was organized by the University in conjunction with the Mapuche Confederation of Neuquén and the Mapuche Tehuelche Parliament of Río Negro. Jorge Nahuel, for the first of the organizations, and Orlando Carriqueo for Parliament also spoke during the event.
«The bold and brave political decision of the UNCo must be highlighted to become the first intercultural university in the country. “It is good to see the Argentine and Mapuche flags coexisting here because we have to build scenarios for both symbols to coexist,” he expressed.
Nahuel highlighted the “bold and brave political decision” of UNCo to transform itself into the first intercultural university in the country. “It’s good to see the flags coexisting here” Argentina and Mapuche because “scenarios must be built so that both symbols coexist,” said Jorge Nahuel of the Mapuche Confederation of Neuquén.
The Wiñoy Xipantv began with an intervention by the philosophical and spiritual authority (pijan kuse) Maria Piciñam, who explained details of the ceremony. Among other concepts, she said that “nature is renewed for everyone, not just for the Mapuches.”
Carriqueo also valued the progress of UNCo in promoting interculturality and highlighted that «It is a profile that the University has been working on for a long time.”.
The first ceremony was held in Añelo and as on this occasion it was open to the entire community of the region. This year, not only a new year was celebrated, but also to pay tribute and commitment to Pachamama, that land that is being punished by climate change that is nothing more and nothing less a product of human beings. Today they also celebrated interculturality, which is the recognition of the native peoples of these territories.
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