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Chemamull

Chemamull is a wooden statue used by the Mapuche people during funerary rites. The name means “wooden person” in Mapudungun, from che meaning “person” and mamüll meaning “wood.” These sculptures are carved from tree trunks or pieces of wood and can be more than 2 meters tall. They depict a stylized human body and head, giving them a simplified human form with ceremonial significance.

Chemamull wooden sculpture of a stylized human figure beside a bicycle on a dirt path.
A Chemamull wooden sculpture stands along a dirt path with greenery and a stone wall behind it.
August 2007 © · CC BY 3.0
Chemamull wooden figures standing against a gray wall.
Chemamull wooden figures displayed at Santiago Metro\'s Bío Bío station.
August 2021 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chemamull wooden figure displayed among grey stones with smaller stone sculptures nearby.
A Chemamull sculpture on display alongside smaller stone anthropomorphic figures.
October 2025 © · CC BY 4.0
Chemamull wooden figures arranged in a staggered pattern on a curved concrete wall.
Chemamull figures mounted on a curved wall, with small plaques below them.
August 2021 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chemamull wooden figures displayed upright on dark bases in a museum gallery.
Chemamull sculptures stand on display in a museum exhibition space.
© · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleChemamull
Alternative nameschemamüll; chemamul
Literal meaning"wooden person"; "wooden people"
EtymologyFrom Mapudungun che meaning "person" and mamüll meaning "wood"; literally "wood with the appearance of a person"
TypeMapuche wooden statue

Historical context

CultureMapuche
Historical periodPre-Columbian / pre-Hispanic era, before the arrival of the Spanish

Creator

Creatorsthe Mapuche people

Physical characteristics

Depicted formStylized human body and head
Gender representationMay have masculine or feminine features; represents both men and women
Common poseArms crossed over the chest
HeightUsually more than 2 meters tall
TextureIrregularly carved wood

Materials

MaterialWood
Wood species usedPellín oak (Nothofagus obliqua) or Chilean laurel (Laurelia sempervirens)

Technique

Carving methodCarved from whole tree trunks or pieces of trees using axes, small axes, or rocks; made without modern technologies

Iconography and meaning

PurposeUsed in funerary rites to mark the tomb of a deceased person, similar to a tombstone or headstone
Funerary meaningBelieved to help the deceased person's soul reach its final destination and reunite with the ancestors (pillanes and wangulén)
Ritual placementKept beside the deceased during the wake or funeral and later erected over or beside the grave
Ceremonial settingPlaced on a rehue, the altar used by the Mapuche for ceremonies

Related works

Related sculpture typeskemu-kemu, rehues, kollones, and other Mapuche sculptures

History and restoration

Former abundanceAccording to stories, these sculptures were once numerous in Araucanía when the Spanish arrived
Later fateMany were burned after being considered idolatry; another theory says many were burned during land-clearing "cleanings" for cultivation; some were sold and later used as firewood in villages

Other

Technical contextCreated without modern technologies
Character of the workDescribed as arduous work and as art expressing much of Mapuche thought
Current notable sculptorAntonio Paillafil
Current production locationSantiago
Workshop/location of workHouse of Culture of San Bernardo, Santiago
Distribution/sales venueFundación Artesanías de Chile
Works reproduced by Antonio Paillafilkemu-kemus, rehues, chemamull, kollones, and other Mapuche sculptures
Related artwork in imageLos pasos de la vida en la tierra by Antonio Paillafil, shown at Bío Bío station, Santiago Metro