“Como uno que yo me sé”. Nuevos aportes a la biografía y obra de Andrés Febrés, S.J. (Manresa, 1732-Cagliari, 1790)1

Abstract

Two years before the decree of expulsion, the Jesuit Andres Febres (Manresa 1732-Cagliari 1790), published in Lima his Mapudungun compilation of grammar, lexicons and translations, entitled the Art of the General Language of the Chilean Kingdom(Arte de la lengua general del reino de Chile). It is considered to be the main publication for the language of the Mapuche during colonial times, that would serve as the basis for future studies of the mapuche language. In the absence of a more complete biographical and bio-bibliographical work, this is an attempt to compile and systematize data scattered throughout various sources, and to present information and documents, some of them until now unknown, which clarify his identity and fate in exile. An analysis and aspects of his personality and the value of his work will be proposed.