José Cayupi

He was born in Cunco on 10 November 1902, the son of José María Cayupi and Filomena Catrilaf. He was the grandson of Taita Cayupi, an important lonco of Lautaro during the final phase of the Occupation of Araucanía in 1881.^[1]

At a young age he joined the Sociedad Caupolicán Defensora de la Araucanía, becoming its vice-president in 1925. He assumed the presidency in 1927 after the resignation of Arturo Huenchullán.^[2]

Alongside Esteban Romero Sandoval and Venancio Coñuepán Huenchual, he formed the nucleus of the "Juventud Araucana", which from 1931 controlled the Society and in 1938 led the foundation of the Corporación Araucana. He belonged for decades to its "Grupo Central", the principal decision-making body.^[3]

He first ran unsuccessfully for deputy in the 1932 Chilean parliamentary election. In the 1953 Chilean parliamentary election, he was elected deputy for the National Christian Party for the district of Temuco, Imperial, Pitrufquén and Villarrica. He failed to secure re-election in 1957.^[1]

In parallel with politics, he worked in agricultural commerce through the company "Ovando y Cayupi", based in Temuco, in partnership with Avelino Ovando, also a leader of the Corporación Araucana.^[1]

In 1963, through Law No. 15,129, the National Congress granted him an honorary pension of 200 escudos per month, a benefit also granted to Esteban Romero.^[4]

He died in Temuco on 27 June 1987.

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