earth science

Ten Ten-Vilu

Ten Ten-Vilu is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ten Ten-Vilu rather than just read about it. In short: Ten Ten-Vilu or Trentren-Vilu (from Mapudungun: Trengtrengfilu; Trengtreng, a name, and filu, "snake") is the Mapuche god of earth and fertility (or goddess in some versions found in Chiloé); he has a generous spirit and is the protector of all life on Earth, and the flora and fauna and according to some Mapuche myths (later also found in Chiloé). This snake was a central figure in the origin of the Chiloean Archipe…

Key takeaways

Ten Ten-Vilu belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Ten Ten-Vilu to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Ten Ten-Vilu from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Ten Ten-Vilu or Trentren-Vilu (from Mapudungun: Trengtrengfilu; Trengtreng, a name, and filu, "snake") is the Mapuche god of earth and fertility (or goddess in some versions found in Chiloé); he has a generous spirit and is the protector of all life on Earth, and the flora and fauna and according to some Mapuche myths (later also found in Chiloé). This snake was a central figure in the origin of the Chiloean Archipelago. In Mapuche mythology, Ten Ten-Vilu is son of Antü (a Pillan spirit).

Origin The legend tells that the son, or daughter (in other versions), of the spirit Pillan Antu wanted the power of his father. As punishment, his father transformed him into a serpent, which would become the divinity of all that is the earth. Ten Ten-Vilu, along with Kai Kai-Vilu, were the children of powerful spirits Antu and Pien-Pillan (Antu, father of Ten-Ten, and Pien-Pillan, father of Kai Kai), but they were ambitious and desired the power of their parents. They tried to obtain their power, and in punishment their parents transformed them into serpents. Kai Kai-Vilu became "the serpent god(dess) of the sea" and Ten Ten-Vilu "the serpent god(dess) of the earth".

Fight against Kai Kai-Vilu When humans did not show gratitude for what the spirits gave them, Kai Kai-Vilu and evil spirits attempted to eliminate them by raising the waters to drown and assassinate them, but Ten Ten-Vilu raised the earth and began a titanic war, creating (in effect of the elevation of the sea and the mountains) the archipelago of Chiloe. That is why now when Kai Kai-Vilu raises the water, Ten Ten-Vilu moves the ground (this last narrative explains why earthquakes and tsunamis occur).

See also Chilota mythology Mapuche mythology

References Alberto Trivero (1999), Trentrenfilú, (in Spanish). Proyecto de Documentación Ñuke Mapu. Martinez Vilches, Oscar, Chiloe Misterioso (in Spanish). Pub. Ediciones de la Voz de Chiloe (circa 1998)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ten Ten-Vilu

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ten Ten-Vilu claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ten Ten-Vilu before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ten Ten-Vilu ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ten Ten-Vilu

In research: Ten Ten-Vilu appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ten Ten-Vilu in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ten Ten-Vilu is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Chilote deities, Deity stubs, Earth deities, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ten Ten-Vilu outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ten Ten-Vilu in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ten Ten-Vilu means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ten Ten-Vilu out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ten Ten-Vilu in simple terms?

Why does Ten Ten-Vilu matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ten Ten-Vilu?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ten Ten-Vilu.