A
lonco or
lonko (from
Mapudungun longko, literally "head") is a tribal chief of the
Mapuches. These were often
Ulmen, the wealthier men in the
lof. In wartime, loncos of the various local
rehue or the larger
aillarehue would gather in a koyag or parliament and would elect a
toqui to lead the warriors in battle. "Lonco" sometimes forms part of geographical names such as the city of
Loncoche (
mapudungun:
head of an important person).