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Gender Masculine
Other Forms FormsLawtraru, Lawtarú, Leftraru, Leftrarú
Meaning & History
Hispanicized form of the Mapudungun given name Lef-Traru, which means "swift hawk", derived from lef meaning "swift" combined with traru meaning "hawk".A noted bearer was Lautaro, the young Mapuche military commander in the four-year Arauco War (Araucanian War) in Chile. His people undertook to expel the Spanish colonizers. The army under Lautaro's command inflicted crushing defeats and huge death tolls on Spanish forces despite having far inferior weaponry. He was close to final victory when he was killed in battle at around 23 years of age.