WHOLE VOL. ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 335 



tivo." Camaruka is probably an adaptation of the Quechua word 

 "camarico" (Moesbach, 1944, p. 35). "They all mean the same," said 

 the cacique of Malleo ; "they mean prayer of thanksgiving and peti- 

 tion offered by all the people together — it is a united prayer. We thank 

 God for what we have received in crops and animals and children and 

 health, and we ask Him for particular things that are for the welfare of 

 all the people." The welfare of all the people includes good health, fa- 

 vorable weather during growing time, a good harvest, and the preven- 

 tion of killing frosts or snowfalls, or bitterly cold winters. One ex- 

 traordinary intention (one for which the ijillatun was conducted out of 

 the regular time) was to avert starvation. A year of dire want was 

 known to follow the year in which the colihiie blossoms, which, in- 

 formants said, occurs about every 20 to 30 years. Informants ex- 

 plained that rats, attracted by the seeds of the colihiie, came in large 

 numbers, and after having eaten the colihue seeds, they ate the wheat 

 and other food supplies. Consequently, as soon as there was indication 

 that the colihue would blossom, each cacique called his people together 

 for the rjillatun. 



Formerly the rjillatun was held regularly twice a year : once follow- 

 ing seeding time and again at harvest time. Each cacique, having de- 

 cided on the days for the celebration of the qillatun, sent two young 

 men to give notice to his people. At present each area that still has a 

 cacique holds the qillatun only biennially, and that at harvest time ; but 

 a cacique takes his people, during the in-between year, to the qillatun 

 of another cacique upon the invitation of that cacique. Also, today, 

 areas that no longer have a cacique join with an area that does. Such 

 areas, for example, as Trumpul, Pilpil, Catin Lil, Lolog, Pilolil, 

 Chasanel, Kaleufu, and the shores of the River Limay, which no longer 

 have a cacique, attend the ijillatun conducted in Quilaquina. Kaleufu 

 conducted its last rjillatun under its late cacique, Shaihueke ; Trumpul, 

 under its late cacique, Cayun. 



Araucanians in the Quilaquina area were restless in the summer of 

 1952 because the cacique of the area had not sent out notice that the 

 rjillatun would be celebrated in the fall of the year. "This is the year 

 for it," said Kolupan. "This is an important thing; not something 

 to be trifled with. The present cacique was reared in the schools of 

 the Christians ; he is lax ; he attaches no significance to the qillatun ; 

 if he does not hold one soon, he will meet with death. His brother, 

 the cacique before him, had more sense ; he held at least one every 

 year." (The cacique did die ; he froze to death in the winter of 1952.) 



Plans for holding the qillatun late in April (fall of 1952) were 



