Antu

Antu is the name given to the principal Pillan spirit in Mapuche mythology. Antü is the most powerful Pillán, who governs the other Pillans. In Mapuche mythology, Antu represents the Sun, as well as light, wisdom and spirit, and is opposite to darkness and the physical world, and is married to Kueyen, a spirit that represents the moon. Battle of the Pillan It is said that when Antu decided to take a Wangulén (of Mapudungun wangülen, "star") as wife, all of them wanted to be picked as Antu was the brightest of the Pillan, but when he picked Kueyen, as she was the most luminious, great unrest started between the Wangulén. Peripillán, the red spirit of fire, was behind this, as he, Antu's rival, felt envy at Antu, as Antu's gold was undarkened by the flame, while Antu himself resented Peripillán as the fire was brighter than the gold amidst the darkness, as peace had ceased, the two Pillán fought in battle, and the spirits took sides in battle, many Pillán and all the Wangulén supporting Peripillán. The battle was long and violent, the land moved, as well as the Minche Mapu (in Mapudungun, "underworld") and the Ankawenu. As the fight extended, the sons of the elder spirits had grown, and in desire to take their parents's place, fought against them. Both Antu and Peripillan, angered by this, grabbed their giant sons by their long hair and threw them down, they fell on the rocky ground, one landing in the Puelmapu and the other in the Lafkenmapu. As they fell their hard bodies marked the land, forming tall mountains as they were broken into pieces and sunk into the depths of the land.