Rurality, paradoxes and tensions associated to the Mapuche people movement in Pulmarí (Neuquén, Argentina)

Abstract

The area of Pulmarí, in the district of Aluminé, in the South of Argentina (Province of Neuquén) is characterized by a notorious presence of Mapuche native people, who have been involved in intense movements since the 90s, claiming for their ancestral territories and facing the advance of different public and private agents. As opposed to the trend affecting other peoples, there have been “territorialization” processes in the area in relation to these indigenous families and de-acceleration of the historical rural-urban migrations, which implies deep redefinitions and reconfigurations of these rural environments. Such trends are due to the application of different social policies and plans. The main objective is to explore the dynamics of the income sources of these small Mapuche rural producers, taking into account their special characteristics and linking them to the context of conflict and dispute among the different sectors that have characterized this area for years.