Wuyuches (People Burners) are wekufes—malevolent, supernatural beings from Chilean Mapuche folklore, closely associated with volcanoes and elemental forces. They are part of the same infernal family as Cherufes, Cherruves, and Degunches, all known for their destructive ties to fire, magma, and the sky.
Wuyuches appear as red, draconic serpents made of living flame, with blazing scales and glowing eyes. Unlike the massive Cherruves, which are celestial and soar through the void of space and high sky, Wuyuches are bound to the edge of the atmosphere—they fly just beneath the sky's upper limits, trailing smoke and embers in their wake.
When a Wuyuche passes overhead, its presence drains the vital energy—or life force—from every living being below. People and animals begin to wither slowly, growing weak and sick, eventually succumbing to death unless they can escape its path. Their effects are subtle at first, often misattributed to illness or curses.
Wuyuches are often confused with the Piuchén, another serpent-like entity from Mapuche legend. However, the two differ significantly:
- The Piuchén is a blood-drinking, feathered serpent, often stealthy and vampiric.
- The Wuyuche, by contrast, feeds on life energy, is made of pure flame, and displays more open, aerial aggression.
Because of their volcanic nature, Wuyuches are often seen as omens or heralds of eruptions, wildfires, or devastating droughts. Some Mapuche oral traditions suggest they are born from the wrath of the earth itself, rising when balance is broken or when sacred lands are defiled.
In both mythological and anthropological views, the Wuyuches are deeply tied to the cosmology of volcanoes within Mapuche thought, functioning as expressions of both natural forces and spiritual imbalance. Their relationship to volcanoes is not merely symbolic but reflects how indigenous societies, particularly the Mapuche, interpret geological activity through a spiritual lens.
Relation to volcanos:[]
Mythologically, Wuyuches are seen as manifestations of fire, sky, and punishment, emerging when volcanic energy becomes malevolent or unrestrained. They do not inhabit the volcano itself like the Cherufe and dugunches, but are born from the same elemental fury. The volcano is not just a geological structure—it is a sacred and dangerous entity, capable of birthing beings like the Wuyuches when its power is disrespected or misused. When a Wuyuche appears, it often signals that a volcano is restless or that the spiritual equilibrium between humans and nature has been broken.
Villarica volcano The ruka pillan, one of the volcano that all these beings are said to live in
The Cherufe and the Cherruves is considered the elder, more powerful counterpart of the Wuyuche. While the Wuyuche soars near the sky’s limit, draining lifeforce, the Cherufe is far larger and connected to celestial fire. It lives inside volcanoes and can hurl molten stone and flame, representing the eruptive force itself. In some traditions, the Cherufe must be appeased with sacrifices—an echo of pre-Columbian practices or metaphors—while Wuyuches seem to act more independently, feeding opportunistically on life from above.
The Degunches (or Dugunches) are another related entity—often described as volcano people or beings of fire that inhabit the inner volcano or the fissures near it. Unlike the serpentine, sky-bound Wuyuches, the Degunches are more humanoid or elemental in form, serving perhaps as servants or extensions of the volcano's will. In some interpretations, Degunches are thought to emerge during times of disaster, acting as omens or even aggressors when nature strikes back against human interference.