Between voluntary oblivion and memory: rethinking the way of working with traditional chané songs

PÉREZ BUGALLO, NAHUEL; MORANDO, MARÍA AGUSTINA

BOLOGNA

Workshop; WORKSHOP LA SCIENZA (IN)UTILE. PROSPETTIVE DI RIFLESSIONE E CONFRONTO TRA ARCHEOLOGIA, ANTROPOLOGIA CULTURALE E STORIA; 2021

UNIVERSIDAD DE BOLOGNA

Both the chronicles of the Franciscan missionaries written between the 18th and 19th centuries andthe contributions of ethnographers and historians who registered systematically the culture of theChiriguanos and Chanes throughout the 20th century have left us with relevant information aboutthese Guaraní-speaking groups settled in the west of South American Chaco. Their descriptionsrepresent an important point of departure from which to begin approaching some aspects of theirsocial life. Most of these works, however, share a fatalistic view about the future of their culturalpractices, predicting their disappearance in the short term in the face of the inexorable advance ofmodernity. Yet despite this, recent research shows that many of the elements that make up thecultural heritage of these groups still circulate and maintain a social value. Based on our own fieldexperience among the Chanes of Northwest Argentina and the explorations we have carried out onthe subject, we intend here to give an account of the contexts of production and the social uses ofthe traditional song repertoire among this group, taking into account the social dynamics in whichthese practices are inserted. Finally, we will reflect on the importance of changing the way weapproach the work with these artistic expressions and those who create them, as well as on therelevance and social role of scientific research within indigenous communities.