Thank you for your article on Chilean reluctance toward Mapuche roots (ST, July 22, 2010). I was born in Chile and have been living in the U.S. for the greater part of my life.

I don't know if I have indigenous roots, though I would reason that the probability is high and would be proud to know that I had Mapuche blood.

I think if Chile wants to emerge as a self assured, progressive-thinking nation, Chileans must do away with distinctions of class and race.
Keep up the good work.

Leonardo Cartes, Oakland, Ca.

Estimada editora:

Your article about the rich parts of Santiago vs. the poorer outlying areas (ST, July 21, 2010) can be addressed with some first steps:  the supermarkets can install small libraries and art galleries adjacent to their stores.   Libraries can be put into traveling buses which move from place to place on a certain schedule.  The art galleries can be small affairs, but which concentrate on local artists.  Here in Denver, Colorado we have an art district in a poorer part of town and it has a small social event on the first friday of each month .... lots of people come to walk the streets and look at the art shops. Many galleries are the actual ateliers or workshops of the artists. You get to talk to the artists.  It is real, it is cool.

The universities can be encouraged to install low-level, bare facilities to teach entry courses, i.e. the first courses the new students take in their first year.  Basic language, history, math courses. These can be easily taught in outlying districts by adjunct faculty.  It can even be on the "one room schoolhouse" in the beginning.  I can see such a school inside a semi-truck which pulls-into the supermarket parking lot, after everyone is off their jobs and can go to school at night.

The key is to start small.  Make small steps on many fronts.  The community will like it.

Atentamente,

Dale S. Elliott
E-Corp, Inc
Centennial, Colorado

Dear Sir,

I would like to send a note of congratulation and commiseration to Chile having just watched their World Cup match against Brazil.

Although Chile were knocked out of the competition, I hope that the people of Chile are proud of their team for the effort and team spirit that they demonstrated, in the group stage but also in a very difficult match against Brazil. As an Englishman I wish my own team had shown some of this  determination and commitment in our match against Germany.

I have been an admirer of Chile since I saw them in Bordeaux in 1998 against Italy and was hugely impressed with Marcelo Salas in particular. In 2010, I was so looking forward to seeing them play again and the attacking nature of the team was a joy to watch and they deserve great credit.

I am the coach of a children’s football team in England and I will be showing them some of Chile’s games as a demonstration of how to play the game in the right way. Unfortunately we don’t get any coverage of Chilean football in England, but if it is played in the same way then I hope one day to visit Chile and see it for myself.

I really hope that with the next World Cup closer to home in 2014 you can really make your mark on the competition.


Kind Regards,

Nick Clemons

To the Santiago Times,

Like many others I spent 5 months traveling throughout the Mountains of Southern Patagonia and have been changed for life as a result of my experience. Not only the beauty of the land but the uniqueness of the people and the culture left an indelible mark on me, and it would kill me to see such a beautiful region destroyed as a result of damming for hydroelectric in the Aysen valley. With the tenacity of the international entrepreneurial youth community there is undoubtedly another solution. Chile should look at this as an opportunity to attract / empower the greatest minds of Generation Y to come up with viable alternatives to providing Santiago with 20% of its energy needs other then damming two of the highest flowing rivers in the country. 

Saludos

--
Jesse Levin