The Mapuche Collections in the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin: (Re)Interpretations of the Collections in the Present

The Ethnologisches Museum houses collections from the Indigenous Mapuche people, acquired since the mid-nineteenth century, primarily from what is now Chile. In a collaborative project with representatives of the Mapuche, we aim to analyze the significance of the collections at the present day and the stories, knowledge and practices associated with the cultural artefacts. This article describes the sensitive historical and cultural contexts of the collection and the resulting cooperation project. The significance and relevance of these artefacts for the Mapuche today, and their integration into cultural and social processes in relation to historical events and provenances, have a particularly important place. The planning, process, objectives and initial reflections on the project are also outlined.