Eighteen years after the beatification of Ceferino Namuncurá, a young Mapuche student of Don Bosco, communities across the globe are commemorating his legacy as a symbol of reconciliation, cultural pride, and spiritual resilience. The anniversary coincides with the 150th year of the first Salesian missionary expedition to Argentina, a milestone that continues to inspire Indigenous youth and educators from Latin America to Southeast Asia.

Namuncurá was beatified in 2007 in Chimpay, a small village on the banks of the Río Negro in Argentina’s Patagonia. The ceremony, led by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, marked a historic moment for the Catholic Church and Indigenous representation. “The life of the new Blessed is like a parable of this profound debt,” Bertone said at the time. “Namuncurá never forgot his Mapuche origin; it was his supreme ideal to be of use to his people”.

The beatification was not only a spiritual celebration but also a moment of reflection on Argentina’s colonial past, including the devastating “Conquest of the Desert” campaign that targeted Indigenous communities. In this context, Namuncurá’s life—son of a Mapuche chief and a student who dreamed of becoming a priest—has become a beacon of peace and cultural dignity.

This year, the spirit of Namuncurá reached the other side of the world. In Kep Province, Cambodia, the Don Bosco Technical School hosted the second edition of the Namuncurá Short Film Festival for Asian Indigenous Youth, under the theme “Anchored in Hope with Our Ancestral Territories.” The event was organized by the Don Bosco Kep Media Communication Department in collaboration with ROOTS: Catholic Network of Indigenous Peoples of Asia.

The festival brought together Indigenous students from across Cambodia, including Jarai, Bunong, and Tampuan communities. A commemorative Mass, traditional dinner, and bonfire with ancestral dances marked the celebration. “We celebrate that we are alive, after so many struggles, intentions of cultural imposition and colonizations,” said Theng Rochom, a Jarai teacher at Don Bosco Kep. “Namuncurá reminds us that there is hope.”

In Argentina, Fr. Darío Perera, provincial of the Salesians in Buenos Aires, echoed this sentiment in his message for Namuncurá’s memorial. “Let us commit ourselves to realizing his dream,” he wrote, urging the Salesian family to deepen their engagement with Indigenous youth and their cultural heritage.

From the Andes to the Mekong, the legacy of Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá continues to inspire a new generation of Indigenous leaders, artists, and educators. His story—rooted in faith, resistance, and reconciliation—remains a living testament to the enduring power of cultural identity and spiritual hope.