Kalku

SorcererChile · South AmericaLegendFear 7/10

Description

A sorcerer from the folklore of Chile. Kalku or Calcu, in Mapuche mythology, is a sorcerer or witch who works with black magic and…

Origin & Background

Kalku or Calcu is a being derived from Mapuche mythology, a sorcerer or witch who deals with black magic and negative powers. It originates from Mapuche tradition and is a word borrowed from the Puquina language, reflecting patterns that show similarities between Mapuche and Central Andes cosmology (Inca religion). Puquina was considered an important language during the Tiwanaku Empire period.

The Legend

Kalku is a semi-mythical being with the power to work alongside wekufe, which are 'evil spirits or malevolent creatures.' For example, Nguruvilu is one example of a wekufe. Kalku has other beings as servants, such as Anchimayen or the more powerful magical embodiment of kalku, Chonchon. The Mapuche's kalku generally holds a hereditary role, but it can also be a 'less powerful' frustrated machi that disregards the profit-seeking machi or admapu (Mapuche rules).

In Popular Culture

Kalku appears as the main antagonist in the Chilean-Brazilian animated film 'Nahuel and the Magic Book,' which was nominated at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Kalku" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia