The textiles of the Mapuche people are of prehispanic origin and it is mainly the women who practice this activity.
The spinning is done with a Kuilo (spindle) and the weaving is done on a Witral or vertical loom for large cloth. There are different types of creations in Mapuche textiles, such as: ponchos, rugs, blankets and bags.
In the origins of the textiles, a story of the oral Mapuche tradition says like this:
«One day, a young girl washed wheat in the river, when an old man came and kidnapped her; taking her to his lands. The old man married the young girl. They say he told her: "I´m going to Argentina, when I come back, I want all this wool knitted" The man left and the young girl stayed crying ¡ She didn´t known how to knitt! Crying next to the fireplace when the Choñoiwe Kuze, the old fire spoke to her: "You dont have to get sou upset, I´ll call the Lalen Kuze to help you". In a while she appeard, crawling down the fire place the Old Spider, she told the girl: "Do it like I do, watch me and you´ll learn how to knitt".
The days passed, when the man arrived, ther wool was knitted. Lalen Kuze when every night an helped the young girl, finishing both the work».
In this story whe can appreciate like a part of the textile activity is related with the sacred field and parrt of the religious sence of the Mapuche. Wisdom is a gift given by Chao Ngechen / God, to the human, being all life expressions supported by him.
This bond is represented by two femenin tutelary deitys, the "Old Fire" and the "Old Spider", that give this knowledgment to the young lady.
Mapuche Clothing
The traditional dress for a woman is the Chamal or Kepal; a square cloth, wrapped around the body leaving the shoulder naked, the waistband or Trarihue, which is tied to the waist; and the Ikulla, a black shawl with blue edges. The man wears black pants called Chiripa and the Makuñ, a finely woven poncho, which may have a simple decoration or rows of figures.
<< My mom told us that before, they would put on the Mapuche woman a small wool that is found in a tree - I think it is Hualle -, i i´s a special wool, it is on the mountains; but only the lucky one finds it, it is a real thin wool. When babies, the Mapuche girls would wrap their wrist, then they would be like spiders to knitt or weave, they would become experts in knitting. I´d tell my mom why wouldnt she look one for me, why did she not get me one when I was a baby. I dream that I was gonna weave some day; but I thought I would be slower because she didn´t put the thin wool on my wrist. She would tell me: << When big, it is harder, being a small baby is good, you have to look for it in the hills, it is a little hard; but you find it >>.
(Margarita Painequeo, Temuco, 1988).