Paper short abstract

Jesuit missions in Paraguay (1609-1767) developed a written, christianised and colonized guaraní language. Since 1752, guaraní authorities used it in their administrative correspondence. During the independence wars, the Junta de Buenos Aires translated some documents into guaraní. We analyse them and propose a semantic history of political concepts in guaraní, such as teko Aguyjei or good way of life.

Paper long abstract

Before the conquest, from the Atlantic coast to the Andes and from Amazonas to Río de la Plata, a language was either a lingua franca (known as a general second language by different groups) or a maternal language of an extended group, today called tupi-guaraní.

For the purpose of religious conquest, this guaraní oral linguistic continuum has been transformed into a quite homogenous, written, grammaticalised (Auroux), literary and christianised language during the seventieth century. The guaraní elaborated by Franciscans and Jesuits has been called a "new Christian language" (Melià) and could be compared with maya neologos (Hanks). During the eighteenth century, guarani authorities used this written, colonial guaraní in their correspondence with the Spanish administration. During the independence wars, the Junta de Buenos Aires translated proclamas and decrees into guaraní.

More than 130 documents have been located and are currently under analysis. Thanks to a bilingual (guaraní/Spanish) database and to international collaboration, we systematise their analysis and propose a semantic history of political concepts in guaraní, such as liberty, citizenship, and teko Aguyjei, or good way of life.

As we do not suggest equivalence between Amerindian language and Indian identity and culture, we will not try to identify what could be truly Amerindian or what is certainly Spanish. We argue that there was a "linguistic middle ground" in guaraní, a kind of "third space" between indigenous leaders and Spanish authorities (in both cases religious and political). As a medium and result of their historical interactions, conflicts, discussions and negotiations, a common political vocabulary in guaraní, embedded in religious and kinship vocabulary, emerged and was constantly reproduced. The history of this vocabulary and the existing interactions are at the core of our investigation.

By contributing to the external (social) and internal (semantic) history of language, we work at the intersection of philology, history of concepts, and anthropological history.

LANGAS, General languages from South America, quechua, guarani, tupi (XVI-XIX), is a research project, funded by ANR : http://www.iheal.univ-paris3.fr/en/recherche/anr-langas

Paper short abstract

Despite ongoing controversies, Indigenous peoples have become a full stakeholder in the Brazilian Amazon, legally owning over 20 % of the region. Based on recent data, we will try to depict the current situation and analyze how indigenous peoples are involved at multiple levels in the current debate about the region’s sustainable development.

Paper long abstract

Recent debates about the extension of Indigenous lands or about the legitimacy of Indigenous opposition to the Belo Monte dam have shown the persistence, in Brazil, of a strong opposition to indigenous rights. However, even if some clichés of the past, such as the motto saying “too much land to too few Indians”, have been put forward recently, the overall context of Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon has changed dramatically.

Until the decade of 1980, “Indians” were seen as “obstacles” (which needed to be removed) to national development. Then, after the adoption of the 1988 constitution and the Rio conference of 1992, the indigenous political movement began to gather momentum. Large tracts of “indigenous lands” have been granted (now covering more than 20 % of the Amazon), and an indigenous demographical revival was witnessed. Last, indigenous knowledge and practices were designated as potential sources of inspiration for sustainable development while Indians began to seek new sources of funding in “ecological” projects (REDD, etc.).

Nowadays, Indigenous peoples have become a full stakeholder in the political arena of the Amazon region. Difficulties persist: lands are still invaded by farmers or loggers, and infrastructure projects may have an impact on many of them. But at the same time Indigenous peoples now form an efficient lobby playing with its huge symbolical capital in order to oppose adverse decisions.

Our presentation will try to depict the current situation of Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon and analyze how they are involved at multiple levels in the current debate about the region’s development.

Paper short abstract

Carlos Quenan, professor at the IHEAL and current president of CEISAL, will present the recently published book, "The challenges of Latin America’s Development" by Carlos Quenan & Sebastien Velut. The book, written under the direction of Carlos Quenan and Sebastien Velut, makes an extensive review of the social and economic progress that the region has shown during the last decade, and analyzes the prospects and challenges that the region faces. See http://www.afd.fr/webdav/site/afd/shared/PUBLICATIONS/RECHERCHE/Scientifiques/A-savoir/24-A-Savoir.pdf