O GUARANI “INCONSTANTE”, “INFANTIL” E “IMPREVIDENTE”

THE "FICKLE", "CHILDISH" AND "RECKLESS" GUARANI: ARCHAEOLOGY OF A JESUIT/COLONIAL STEREOTYPE.

Abstract

The article meticulously investigates a discursive lineage about the Guaraní, a matrix of social stereotypes that label them as naturally childish, fickle, docile, and unpredictable. We commence with a text by Alain Guillermou, published in 1973, which reiterates the supposed fickleness of the Guarani. From here, we painstakingly trace this discursive construction, identifying its genesis among the Jesuits of colonial Paraguay and tracking its manifestations from the 17th to the 20th century. As a counterpoint, we present the records of the Spanish chroniclers who had diverse interactions with the indigenous people of the region in the first half of the 16th century, prior to the arrival of the Society of Jesus. In these records, unlike the Jesuit narratives, the Guarani are portrayed as warriors and horticulturists whose agricultural skills were crucial in the conquistadors' survival during the famine. This documentation provides a robust path towards decolonizing the image of indigenous people and deconstructing stereotypes.