Respect and fear: Socialization of children’s fear among the Mapuche people of Chile

Abstract

Classic theories of emotion describe fear as evolutionary based, rooted in survival needs, and universally experienced. As such, fear has been thought to be less socially constructed than most emotions. It may be, however, that cultural beliefs have more influence than previously considered. To understand cultural beliefs in general, we interviewed 22 of the Mapuche people, one of the native people of southern Chile. Today, despite the War of “pacification” and subsequent Westernized schooling and religion, the Mapuche people maintain cultural knowledge and connection with the land. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 adults (5 elders, 12 mothers) and, using grounded theory practices, coded for themes. We found substantial evidence regarding the cultural causes of fear, perceptions of utility of fear, and the transformation of fear through socialization. We then crosschecked emergent themes, including the importance of respect as a foundational principle and goal, with five new participants. Our findings suggest a deep, abiding respect for the land, spirits of nature, and people; a devaluing of the emotion of fear; a gentle socialization process away from fear; and the transformative role of respect in attenuating fear. Given the novelty of these findings, confirmation of results via additional sampling or triangulating of methodologies is warranted.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Interview 1

Introduction (abbreviated here) First, I want to thank you for coming to this interview…. based on the emotion of the child, in the school, in the family, in the community, and the idea is that you respond according to your experience, how you lived when you were a child and how you have raised your child since she was born. In order to follow protocol, I would like to know your name, your age, and the age of your child.

Emotions in school

• 1. Do you think that emotional education should be included in school?

• 2. What emotions do you think should be taught in school?

• 3. Do you think there are differences in the emotions taught in the city for the guinca (non-Mapuche) children?

• 4. How do you think a Mapuche boy should behave emotionally in school? And a girl?

• 5. Do you think there are differences in the behavior of the guinca (non-Mapuche) children in the city schools?

• 6. Do you think that the teachers are capable of emotionally educating your children?

• 7. In your past, do you remember if there were differences in the way of expressing emotion in school and in your family?

Emotional ideal

• 1. How do you want your brother or your father, or a Mapuche man to be?

• 2. How would you like a Mapuche woman to be?

• 3. How does a person learn to be a person? Are there differences between the sexes?

• 4. In the field of the emotions, how do you think a Mapuche person is seen by the guincas (non-Mapuche)?

• 5. How should a Mapuche be seen?

Engagement with others

• 1. How should a Mapuche child be in the community?

• 2. How do you think a Mapuche child should be in the family?

• 3. What emotions should or shouldn’t a Mapuche child express?

• 4. How should a child be when with other children?

• 5. How do you think the community educates this way of being? Are there cultural spaces where they express?

• 6. What advantages do the children have of expressing emotionally in those ways?

• 7. Where do the children learn to feel in different ways? To express their feelings of joy, sadness, etc.

• 8. Are there educative methods specific to teach a child to feel?

• 9. Are there cultural scenarios that permit this learning? What types of ceremonies occur in the community where you live?

• 10. Who participates in this education of the child?

• 11. What do you think are the best ways of emotionally educating children?

• 12. Do you think that the land has a role in the emotional education of the Mapuche? Could you give me an example?

• 13. Do you think that the relation with nature and emotion could be different for guincas (non-Mapuche)?

History of own emotional socialization

• 1. What emotions do you think were emphasized or potentiated in your family?

• 2. Do you remember a specific method that you were educated with emotionally?

• 3. What emotions do you think should be hidden or excluded from the family education?

• 4. Could the emotional education that your parents gave you be effective now?

• 5. When you were anxious or restless, how did your parents react?

• 6. When you were happy, how did your parents react?

• 7. When you were scared, how did your parents react?

• 8. When you were angry, how did your parents react?

Emotional regulation

• 1. What do you do when your child has rage?

• 2. What do you do when the child has joy?

• 3. What do you do when the child is sad?

• 4. What do you do when your child is scared?

Thank you very much!

Appendix 2

Interview follow up questions

• 1. In previous interviews we have noticed that some mothers and elders argued that fear should not be expressed. Would you agree or disagree with this?

  • a. If you do not express fear, does it mean you are not afraid? Could you give me some examples?

• 2. Could you point out some reasons why you might not want to express fear? What does it mean to express fear? (What is its meaning? What does it imply?)

• 3. What are some of the reasons why you have wanted or did not want to feel afraid?

• 4. What are some synonyms of feeling afraid? (e.g., being scared)

• 5. What are some synonyms of not feeling afraid? (e.g., unconcerned)

• 6. From the previous interviews, it seems that mothers accept their children when they feel afraid. Do you think that this is a historical difference (that is, that the fear of children was not acceptable but now it is) or is an developmental difference (such that parents know that children will feel fear and they need time and guidance from parents and grandparents that can see the world in a different way to move past that emotion)?

  • a. Are there some things children should be allowed to be afraid of and some things they should not (e.g., thunder, wild animals, parents)?

  • b. Perhaps it is okay that very small children are afraid, but later is it expected they are not? If this is the case, at what age does this change? If your previous answer was yes, at which age is it considered inappropriate for children to feel or express fear?

• 7. In previous interviews, various people talked about respect and fear. Based on these descriptions we would like to know if it is true that fear is transformed into respect? If it is not true, how do you believe fear and respect relate? How does fear become respect?

• 8. How do your beliefs about respect for nature affect your emotions? For example, is respect for nature the same as respect for other people (Mapuches or non-Mapuches)?

  • a. How should children (and adults) treat other people in comparison with the way they treat spirits of the land? If it is different, how so?

• 9. Does the respect people have for spirits and the lack of fear in the world overlap?

• 10. Do you think non-Mapuches are fearful people?

• 11. What is the father’s role throughout development?

  • a. Do mothers and fathers have a similar response when children feel afraid?

  • b. What other differences are there in emotional education between mothers and fathers?

  • c. Do you think mothers of today are more delicate and accept more of their children’s emotions than previous generations? If this is the case, why?

• 12. Do you discipline your children in a different way than you were disciplined? What do you think your parents expected of you in terms of discipline, what do you expect of your child?

• 13. What do you believe caused you fear during your childhood, are these things the same as today? In what way is fear expressed?

• 14. How has Mapuche history influenced why you may or may not have different beliefs from non-Mapuche regarding fear?

• 15. How has war and the long history of discrimination formed the Mapuche culture? Or the experience of assimilation?

• 16. Could the differences between Mapuches and non-Mapuches be attributed to these historical differences? If yes, what are these differences?

• 17. Would you like to add anything to any question?

Thank you very much!