ASI is proud of the impressive progress by the project “Decolonizing Perspectives on Land: Participatory Counter-Mapping in Mapuche Territory,” supported by the €10,000 ASI Seed Money Grant. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to interdisciplinary research that powerfully addresses complex challenges related to sustainability and justice.
Reimagining the Map
The journey toward this project began with a critical examination of how land is traditionally represented. Cartography has historically served as a colonial technology of power used to delineate territories for resource extraction while erasing Indigenous ways of knowing. Dr. Schoderer and Dr. Torralba Viorreta’s research focuses on reimagining these maps through the lens of Indigenous Mapuche knowledge systems. By using participatory counter-mapping, the team is challenging these dominant narratives and providing a tool for decolonial research practice vb. bridging the gap between physical geography and Indigenous cosmologies.
Putting "Counter-Mapping" into Practice
The project moves beyond theoretical discussion by engaging in direct participatory action within the Wallmapu. Through community assemblies and oral history workshops, the team co-created three distinct maps representing memories of the past, current threats, and hopes for the future. This collaborative process led to the distribution of 86 physical maps back to the participating communities, ensuring the research provides a tangible benefit for their ongoing struggles for territorial justice. The methodology validates Mapuche concepts such as itrofillmongen, or the interconnectedness of all life, within the context of sustainable land management.
The Reality of Global Collaboration
Effective interdisciplinary and international collaboration is at the heart of this success. The team, including members from the VU Institute for Environmental Studies and the University of the Frontier in Chile, united expertise in environmental policy, ecology, and geography. This partnership has already resulted in a published scientific article regarding counter-mapping methodology. By improving how territorial transformations are documented, the work helps restore narratives of identity that colonial cartography previously erased.
The Outlook
Looking ahead, the team is currently developing an interactive mapping website to showcase Mapuche knowledge and cultural resilience to a global audience. This project serves as a springboard for further academic work, with two additional articles currently in preparation. This initiative demonstrates exactly what the ASI Grants Programme aims to achieve vb. providing the vital kickstart needed to explore bold, interdisciplinary ideas that bridge the gap between science and society. We are now seeking new proposals for our 2026 funding round, offering Seed Money and Booster Grants to support the next generation of transformative sustainability research.
Once again, we are proud to congratulate Dr. Mirja Schoderer, Dr. Mario Torralba Viorreta, and Monserrat Vasquez on the success of their project.