Piñen: Stories

Synopsis

In the streets of Santiago, Chile, Daniela Catrileo traces the lives of young Mapuche people negotiating identity, desire, violence, and the histories that cling to the body. The title Piñen comes from Mapudungun, referring to the dust or dirt that sticks to the skin—a fitting image for stories concerned with what cannot simply be washed away or left behind.

Moving between intimate relationships and the larger forces of colonialism, displacement, and inherited memory, these stories reveal lives often pushed to the margins of Chilean society. Childhood friends meet again carrying the complicated weight of their Mapuche identities; a young girl confronts the threat of sexual violence surrounding her community. Fierce and tender, Piñen brings together the personal and political in a vivid portrait of contemporary Mapuche life. Translated from the Spanish by Jacob Edelstein.

About the Author

Daniela Catrileo is a Chilean writer, poet, and professor of philosophy based in Valparaíso. She is a member of the Mapuche collective Rangiñtulewfü and part of the editorial team of the digital magazine Yene. Her work includes the novel Chilco, the story collection Piñen, the essay Sutura de las aguas, and several collections of poetry. Her writing explores Mapuche identity, colonial history, gender, memory, and contemporary life. Piñen is translated into English by Jacob Edelstein.

Publisher

FSG Originals

Publication Date

August 11, 2026

Format

Paperback

Pages

208

Subjects

Literary Fiction · Fiction in Translation · Chilean Literature · Mapuche Literature · Indigenous Fiction · Short Stories

ISBN

9780374616564