Atavismo religioso, sacrificios humanos y defensa cultural: el caso Painecura (1962)

Rodrigo  Céspedes; Fátima Al Fakih

doi:10.7764/RLDR.12.144

Religious Atavism, Human Sacrifices and Cultural Defense: The Painecura Case (1962)]

Authors

Rodrigo Céspedes
Fátima Al Fakih

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7764/RLDR.12.144

Keywords:

human sacrifice, ancient religion, cultural tradition, indigenous people, mapuches, criminal defenses, cultural defenses

Abstract

In 1960 there was a mega-earthquake which also produced a tsunami of great proportions. In order to stop the catastrophe, an indigenous community performed a human sacrifice, which was intended “to please nature”. The criminal court acquitted the defendants because they were motivated by an irresistible natural force which amounted to some sort of duress. The cultural aspect played a relevant role in this judgment.