“An exhumed greenness from the earthly crust” from urban marginality

a reading of Piñen, by Daniela Catrileo

Abstract

Piñen, by Daniela Catrileo, is analyzed as a set of three short stories that challenge the notion of a universal and homogeneous woman, highlighting plural female subjectivities shaped by intersectional violence. The study proposes the concepts of interstitial and nomadic subjectivities to understand characters portrayed as fragmented, itinerant, and vulnerable bodies, marked by gender, class, and racial oppression. The narrative connects elements of nature—such as earth, brush, and mud—to the experience of Mapuche women in urban contexts, emphasizing identity tensions and displacement. Despite the violence depicted, a dimension of resistance and hope emerges, linked to reconnection with community, the valorization of Mapuzungun, and a symbolic return to territory and collective memory. The work thus creates a space for reflecting on belonging, urban diaspora, and the reconstruction of social bonds.