Resilience of Mapuche Health System and the Influence of COVID-19

Abstract

The Mapuche health system (MHS), as a complex socio-ecological system, is influenced by different intrinsic and extrinsic drivers that may lead to changes in their trajectory, according to the resilience and adaptation capacity of the local communities. In this study, we examine the MHS in the context of the socio-ecological resilience approach, discussing how this system has been persisting and adapting over time, and considering the challenges in overcoming current threats and risks. Particularly, we focus on the influence of COVID-19 on traditional practices and the creative response of people to deal with the pandemic. Given the impossibility of conducting fieldwork, and to safeguard the communities, this work was based on virtual ethnography conducted during 2020, incorporating the experience of Mapuche people from Argentinian and Chile communities. The adaptation, transformation, and resilience processes of MHS and the role of local ecological knowledge in these social dynamics are discussed, highlighting new perspectives for research and actions that can favor the quality of life and health of these Indigenous peoples.