name of several tribes of South American Indians of the Araucanian language family, and of the southernmost South America culture area, living in central and southern Chile and western Argentina. The principal surviving Araucanian tribes are the Mapuche, Huilliche, and Picunche. When first seen by outsiders, in the 16th century, the Araucanians lived in small villages and subsisted solely by hunting and fishing. They practiced little agriculture, growing only corn and potatoes. Today the chief occupations of the Araucanians are farming and cattle raising; many own their property. They are also skilled at fashioning beautiful silver ornaments, saddles, leatherwork, and pottery and at weaving blankets and shawls. Others are soldiers, teachers, and politicians.

Probably the fiercest and boldest of the South American Indians, the Araucanians waged relentless warfare in defense of their tribal domains for more than 200 years, repeatedly turning back the Spanish intruders. The capacity of the Araucanians to resist began to weaken late in the 18th century, but they did not finally submit until 1881. The first phase of their heroic struggle against the Spaniards is immortalized in La Araucana (1569–89), the epic poem by the Spanish soldier and writer Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga.

See AMERICAN INDIANS,.