Bahá’í Radio in Chile Creating a National Sound Archive of Mapuche Culture
La Blanza, Chile – Radio Bahá’í in La Blanza, Chile, a community rich in Mapuche heritage, has embarked on a special journey to connect the past and present through the power of sound. Recently, the radio station launched a nationwide archiving project that has transformed decades of sound sources into a living repository that reflects the spirit of the Mapuche community.
This archive goes beyond preservation,” says project coordinator Nabil Rodriguez. It aims to harmonize ancestral knowledge with the spiritual principles of Baha’i teachings to inspire both present and future generations.”
The archive, titled “The Oral Heritage of Walmapu: Identification, Inventory, and Memory of the Mapuche Sound Archive of Radio Bajai,” was established in cooperation with the National Service of Cultural Heritage of the Government of Chile.
Harmonizing Voices through Shared Identity
On November 12, 1986, Radio Bahá’u’lláh began broadcasting to celebrate the anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s birth.
Rodriguez said, “The station was created to respond to the spiritual and material aspirations of the local community, especially the Mapuche, the largest indigenous people in Chile.”
The regional newspaper El Diario Austral announced the opening of Radio Bajai on November 12, 1986, the anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh.
He recalled the station’s beginnings: “Through music, stories, and conversation, a new platform emerged where these aspirations could flourish.
Rodriguez added that one of the principles that underpins the station’s programming is unity in diversity. The broadcast explores how, in our diversity, there is a common identity as members of one human family.”
Since its inception, Radio Bahá’í has broadcast programs in both Spanish and Mapuche (Mapudungun), covering topics such as agriculture, health, and education, as well as exploring how spiritual principles can enrich these areas. This effort has allowed the community to share experiences and foster spirituality in both the personal and professional spheres, and to respond to a wide range of interests.
Rodriguez said, “The content was shaped by the residents of the local community, but where appropriate, we incorporated ideas from other Baha’i radio initiatives around the world.”
Collaborators recorded programs in the early days of the radio station.
“This approach,” he continued, “ensured that the programming resonated locally and was enriched by a global perspective.
Alex Kalfkeo, coordinator of Radio Baha’i and a member of the Mapuche community, emphasized the important role that Mapuche played in shaping this endeavor. He said, “The spirit of keyuwün (mutual support) was essential for us to share traditional wisdom, report on community happenings, and be part of the storytelling process.”
Radio collaborators volunteer as reporters at community events.
Calfuqueo explained the expansion of Radio Baha’i’s efforts by tying it to the evolution of the station’s community relations efforts. ‘Initially, our broadcasts were five to six hours long. Initially, our broadcasts were five to six hours, but as we added more bilingual content, we were able to extend our broadcast hours to 16 hours daily, reaching a wider rural audience, including farmers, women, children, and entire families,” he explained.
Archiving for the Future
The dedication of those involved in the early days of Radio Bahá’u’lláh laid the foundation for a project of significant significance decades later: the establishment of a national sound archive of significant cultural value.
Alex Calufkeo (left) and Nabil Rodriguez (right).
Kalfkeo revealed the size of the archive and described its comprehensive database of approximately 3,400 indexed recordings. These recordings would represent approximately 120 hours of irreplaceable cultural expression of the Mapuche community. It has become one of the most extensive collections of its kind, rich in musical and cultural expression of the Mapuche.
Built through years of dedicated work, the archive serves to enrich the diverse heritage of humanity.”
Left: An analog recording from the archive. Right: messages from the community sent to the radio station.
Musicologist Catherine Zamora, who helped digitize the analog recordings, said the direct participation of the Mapuche community in the cataloging process underscores the collaborative philosophy of the initiative.” As a researcher, the collaboration between the Bahá’í and Mapuche communities in establishing this archive was groundbreaking.
As Dr. Zamora emphasized, the cataloging process was deeply influenced not only by the involvement of the Mapuche community, but also by some of its forms of social organization. ‘The way the materials are named, with details about individuals, families, places of origin, etc., reflects the Mapuche….More
Urgent – American statement regarding what is happening to Baha’is
An unprecedented and inhumane attack on the Baha’i faith
Amnesty International calls for the immediate release of Baha’i detainees
Podcast Explores Collective Inquiry Through Bahá’í Studies
Baha’i Social Society in Bahrain
.’
, Bahá’í Radio, Bahá’í Radio, Labranza, Chile, Bahá’í News, Bahá’í Radio, Bahá’í Teachings