A lonco or lonko (from Mapudungunlongko, 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).
