Restitution of Human Remains and Landscape Resignification. The case of Chapal-có Hill (La Pampa, Argentina) and the Rankülche Nation

CURTONI, RAFAEL PEDRO; HEIDER, GUILLERMO; CHAPARRO, MARÍA GABRIELA; TUNINETTI, ANGEL

English Language Notes

Duke University Press

Lugar: Durham; Año: 2020 vol. 58 p. 63 - 74

0013-8282

This article deals with a seldom-studied phenomenon: resignification of the landscape as consequence of a restitution, focusing on a recent example that involved the Rankülche Nation, the government of the La Pampa province, scientist, and members of the local community. In 2004, remains of at least 6 individuals were exposed during archeological rescue excavation of a local road in the Chapalcó Valley. The job was done in consultation with representatives of the Rankülche Nation, who considered that the remains were from their ancestors, as they were in a territory they considered their own. After a long process of negotiation and some superficial scientific studies (also negotiated), the remains were re-buried in the place they were discovered. This reflects the strong relationship between territory and the identity of contemporary rankülches through their ancestors. In this context, we explore three dimensions that we consider complimentary: a) The Rankülches, their worldview and the relationship between sacred spaces and territory; b) the changes in the state policies in relationship with the indigenous nations in general and the restitutions in particular; c) the specific reburial that is the object of this study.