New ethnic categories for a new self-understanding of being Paraguayan

IGNACIO TELESCA

Colonia

Simposio; 2. International Symposium of the Research Network for Latin America; 2011

Research Network for Latin America

After the war against the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), Paraguay was destroyed and its population decimated. The reconstruction involved a re-start again at all levels. The identity aspect could not be absent from the agenda. At the level of identity, there was a major change not only in how to read the ‘past’ or how to relate to the Guaraní, widely spoken by the Paraguayan population, but also how ethnically self-refer. Until the late nineteenth century, Paraguay was self-defined as 'white', but this changed in the subsequent decades and intellectuals began to refer to themselves as mestizos. This category of mestizaje, "Paraguay as a mestizo-nation", gives people a sense of belonging and exclusivity. This new concept which comes as a result of the war, takes full force and effect with another war, the Chaco war (against Bolivia). Similarly, it is clear that this idea suppresses and cancels any possibility of existence of another group as a potential recipient of 'being Paraguayan', no afro-descents, and Indians are something from the past, uncivilized. Moreover, this concept also hides a situation of injustice lived by the peasants and indigenous people.