Contributions of the Küme Mogen to the well-being of indigenous children in boarding schools

The article explores the contributions of küme mogen (good living) to the well-being of Mapuche children during their schooling years in La Araucanía, Chile. It focuses on Indigenous students living in boarding schools and examines how their identities are valued within these institutions. Although Chile’s public policies emphasize the recognition and promotion of Indigenous identity, the study finds that such principles are rarely applied in practice. Using a qualitative and descriptive methodology based on Indigenous research – specifically the dialogical kishu kimkelay ta che approach (“no one learns in isolation”) – the study involved Mapuche elders, traditional educators, community authorities, and parents. The findings highlight the urgent need to incorporate küme mogen principles to promote culturally relevant well-being and strengthen sociocultural identity. The article concludes that ensuring Mapuche children’s well-being requires revitalizing their identity within educational spaces by integrating Indigenous and formal school worldviews.