Kalku
Malevolent sorcerer in Mapuche mythology working with wekufe spirits.
In Mapuche mythology, a kalku (also spelled calcu) is a sorcerer or witch who practices black magic and harnesses negative forces. To distinguish them from the malevolent kalku, the more benevolent shamans are usually called machi. The concept originates in Mapuche tradition. The term *kalku* was borrowed from the Puquina language, and its adoption by the Mapuche reflects a broader pattern of parallels between Mapuche and Central Andean cosmology, a connection that dates back to the Tiwanaku Empire, when Puquina was a major language.
The kalku is a semi-mythical figure capable of working with wekufe—spirits or wicked creatures, such as the Nguruvilu. The kalku also commands other beings as servants, including the Anchimayen and the Chonchon (the latter being the magical form of a particularly powerful kalku). The role of a Mapuche kalku is usually inherited, though it can also be taken up by a machi who pursues selfish or lucrative ends, or by a less powerful, frustrated machi who disregards the laws of the admapu (the traditional Mapuche rules).
In popular culture, the kalku appears as the main antagonist in the 2020 Chilean-Brazilian animated film *Nahuel and the Magic Book*, which was nominated for an Annecy award and created by Carburadores and Germán Acuña.
- Field
- Mapuche mythology, black magic
- Known for
- Working with wekufe spirits and negative forces
- Role
- Sorcerer or witch
- Origin
- Mapuche tradition, with linguistic roots in Puquina
Lore & Background
The kalku is a semi-mythical character that has the power of working with wekufe, which are spirits or wicked creatures. An example of a wekufe is the Nguruvilu. The kalku also have as servants other beings such as the Anchimayen, or the Chonchon, which is the magical manifestation of the more powerful kalku. A Mapuche kalku is usually an inherited role, although it could be a machi that is interested in lucrative ends or a less powerful, frustrated machi who ignores the laws of the admapu, the rules of the Mapuches.
Reader's Guide
The kalku represents a significant figure in Mapuche cosmology, embodying the negative or malevolent counterpart to the benevolent machi. The distinction between machi and kalku is essential for understanding Mapuche spiritual practices, as the kalku deliberately works with wekufe spirits and wicked creatures. The role is typically inherited, but can also be taken up by a machi who pursues selfish or lucrative ends, or by a frustrated machi who disregards the admapu. The linguistic borrowing of the term from Puquina highlights historical connections between Mapuche and Central Andean cultures, particularly during the Tiwanaku Empire. In modern popular culture, the kalku appears as the main antagonist in the 2020 Annecy-nominated Chilean-Brazilian animated film Nahuel and the Magic Book, demonstrating the enduring presence of this mythological figure in contemporary storytelling.
Did You Know?
- The word kalku is a borrowing from the Puquina language.
- A kalku can be a machi who is interested in lucrative ends or a frustrated machi who ignores the admapu.
- The Chonchon is the magical manifestation of a more powerful kalku.
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