This article is about the South American indigenous leader. For the village in Argentina, see
María Grande. For the Swiss musician, see
María Grand. For the religious figure, see
Mary, mother of Jesus.
María (
c. 1789[2] –
c. 1841–47),[3] better known as María la Grande or María Grande (English: María the Great), is the
Christian name of a woman who served as the cacica of the southern
Tehuelche people who lived in the
Strait of Magellan and the
Patagonian coast during the first half of the 19th century.[1] Her direct domain was focused in the territory of the Bay of San Gregorio, in the present-day
Chilean region of
Magallanes,[2] although she was called upon in other Patagonian regions when a conflictive situation required her judgment.[4]
María was a leader of great prestige and power among the Tehuelche people, known for her skills as a ruler and merchant with European settlers and explorers.[5][6] She is considered one of the most prominent figures in the history of Patagonia.[2] Her influence covered the entirety of Argentine Patagonia, from the
Río Negro to the Strait of Magellan.[5]
^Although several historical sources claim that she was born in
Asunción, Paraguay, this is unlikely considering the areas that both Maria's and her father's communities inhabited. Some historians argue that her full baptismal name was María de la Asunción, which caused the chroniclers to erroneously attribute Asunción as her place of birth.[2]