The vast plains that were unfolded on the Spanish-indigenous border south of the city of Buenos Aires were the area of negotiations on the use of resources and territories and the meanings given to them by the different social groups that disputed the Pampean-Patagonian space at the end of the 18th century. One of the difficulties in knowing the characteristics of this “paisaje mestizo” is due to the fact that the voices of the indigenous groups that inhabited the region reach us mediated by the writing of viceregal officials and travelers who interacted with them. However, we can discover traces of indigenous territorialities in some colonial documents that allow us to approach the ways in which the so-called “tierra adentro” was organized. In this paper, we intend to study which aspects are considered significant in the preparation of testimonial statements and inquire about their impact on territorial configuration processes. We sustain that the distortions inherent to this type of written record (intended to be consulted by Hispanic authorities) allow us to approach the strategies of use, appropriation and significance of the territories deployed by indigenous groups.
Keywords:
territoriality, testimonial statement, hispanic indigenous relations, 18th century, pampa-patagonia
Enrique, L. A. (2021). Indigenous voices about “tierra adentro”: an approach to colonial frontier territorialities in the Pampean-North Patagonian area. Revista Chilena De Antropología, (44), 304–321. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-1472.2021.61838
