Elicura Chihuailaf

He has been referred to as the lonco, or chieftain, of Mapudungun poetry, and works at recording and preserving the oral tradition of his people. "Elicura" is from the Mapudungun phrase for "transparent stone", "Chihuailaf" means "fog spread on the lake", and "Nahuelpán" is "tiger/cougar". In his book Recado Confidencial a los Chilenos, he talks about a childhood around the bonfire, in which he learnt the art of conversation ("nvtram") and the advice of the elderly ("gulam"). Similarly, nature with its diversity taught him the cosmic vitality hid from those unwary. This need to express his cultural richness, diverse in itself, made him become an Oralitor, that is, carrier of the oral expression of the Mapuche elderly, this destiny being told by means of "Blue Dreams" (Kallfv Pewma): This will be a singer, you said / giving me the Blue Horse of the Word. In Recado Confidencial a los Chilenos, the poet presents a deeply felt defense of Mother Nature, whom the Mapuche consider threatened by the dominant culture: post-modern capitalism. Considering the current environmental crisis, his message should be listened not only by Chileans but by everybody. The English translation of Recado Confidencial a los Chilenos (Message to Chileans; translated by Celso Cambiazo) is now in print published by Trafford Publishing in 2009.

Elicura Chihuailaf studied at University of Concepción. the recorded working language is Spanish and Mapudungun. Work by Elicura Chihuailaf is recorded in the collections of Memoria Chilena. Distinctions recorded are Santiago Municipal Literature Award, Jorge Teillier National Poetry Prize and National Prize for Literature (Chile).

• Name — Elicura Chihuailaf • Birth Name — Elicura Chihuailaf Nahuelpán • Born — 15 February 1952 • Citizenship — Chile • Education — University of Concepción • Occupation — Writer and Poet • Years Active — 1977-present • Awards — Santiago Municipal Literature Award (1997) National Prize for Poetry (2014) National Prize for Literature (2020)

Elicura Chihuailaf is recorded as having received Santiago Municipal Literature Award, Jorge Teillier National Poetry Prize and National Prize for Literature (Chile).