State conceptions of indigenous tourism in Chile

This article analyzes the diverse-and often divergent-state conceptions of the role of indigenous tourism at the regional and state levels in the Araucanía Region of Chile, the historical territory of the Mapuche indigenous people. The article presents the context in which indigenous tourism developed, using an ethnographic approach to examine state discourses and analyzing the different positions of key public employees with respect to the development of Mapuche tourism. It seeks to identify the views and to link them to the political context of Mapuche territorial claims in some sectors of the Araucanía Region. The discussion helps to explain the relationship between identity construction processes and the concept of authenticity promoted by the state itself.