98
12 Meteorites: Señas of Identity
In this context, a central role is played by the meteoric masses of Campo del Cielo
(and especially the largest fragment visible today: ‘El Chaco’) in the territorial and
cultural claims of the Southwestern Chaco Moqoit.
For example, a Moqoit demonstration took place in 2009, demanding territorial
and cultural rights (López, 2011; González Zugasti, 2012). It was called ‘March to
the meteorite’ and its epicentre was the Meteorite Provincial Park (near the city of
Gancedo, Chaco) (Fig. 11). Beyond the general demands of the protesters, a focal
point was the significance of the territory where the meteorites lie for their culture.
Its ‘property’ was not demanded, but the possibility of access and care was. They
strongly put forward that the event that had taken place there was a concrete experience, a sign, of the presence of a particularly important power or quesaxanaxa. A
specific might, linked to powerful beings from the sky with whom the Moqoit claim
to have pacts, fundamental for their own constitution as a group.
Notably, the first half-length film made by young Moqoit is titled ‘La nación
oculta en el meteorito. Una historia del pueblo Moqoit’ (The nation hidden in the
meteorite. A history of the Moqoit people) (http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=X1odIHeRQSU).
58
Another recent event describes the Moqoit struggles, and their efforts to bring
their culture and the Campo del Cielo meteorites to light as true señas of identity. In
2012, the opposition of many Moqoit prevented the ‘El Chaco’ meteorite from
being transferred to Germany for an artistic exhibition.
59
Although this opposition
was also held by many national and international experts (including cultural astronomers) and NGOs, the resistance of the Moqoit was decisive in preventing the meteorite from being taken out of the province.
In their demonstrations, the Moqoit stressed that the meteorite is not only significant to their history and identity, but also powerful and linked to beings with which
the ancient Moqoit established pacts in the past. Therefore, meteorites are dangerous objects to handle. In fact, many Moqoit posed that the earthquake that had
occurred in Japan back then was undoubtedly connected to the concern of the
poderoso linked to the meteorite at the possibility of the transfer. Even the Moqoit
leaders, whom the provincial authorities sought to persuade, pondered their support
in terms of the pros and cons in a negotiation between the conflicting interests of
two powers: provincial and national politicians, and sky beings.
58 It was written and directed by the Moqoit intercultural bilingual teacher and ‘cultural promoter’
Juan Carlos Martínez, and carried out within audiovisual production workshops organized by the
Dirección de Cine y Espacio Audiovisual of the province of Chaco, in collaboration with the
Centro de Formación y Experimentación Cinematográfica de Bolivia.
59 dOCUMENTA (13), in Kassel, Germany. This is one of the most renowned contemporary art
exhibitions today. Since 1955, it has been held every 5 years in Kassel. The last one, its 13th edition, took place in September 2012.
A. M. López
12 Meteorites: Señas of Identity
In this context, a central role is played by the meteoric masses of Campo del Cielo
(and especially the largest fragment visible today: ‘El Chaco’) in the territorial and
cultural claims of the Southwestern Chaco Moqoit.
For example, a Moqoit demonstration took place in 2009, demanding territorial
and cultural rights (López, 2011; González Zugasti, 2012). It was called ‘March to
the meteorite’ and its epicentre was the Meteorite Provincial Park (near the city of
Gancedo, Chaco) (Fig. 11). Beyond the general demands of the protesters, a focal
point was the significance of the territory where the meteorites lie for their culture.
Its ‘property’ was not demanded, but the possibility of access and care was. They
strongly put forward that the event that had taken place there was a concrete experience, a sign, of the presence of a particularly important power or quesaxanaxa. A
specific might, linked to powerful beings from the sky with whom the Moqoit claim
to have pacts, fundamental for their own constitution as a group.
Notably, the first half-length film made by young Moqoit is titled ‘La nación
oculta en el meteorito. Una historia del pueblo Moqoit’ (The nation hidden in the
meteorite. A history of the Moqoit people) (http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=X1odIHeRQSU).
58
Another recent event describes the Moqoit struggles, and their efforts to bring
their culture and the Campo del Cielo meteorites to light as true señas of identity. In
2012, the opposition of many Moqoit prevented the ‘El Chaco’ meteorite from
being transferred to Germany for an artistic exhibition.
59
Although this opposition
was also held by many national and international experts (including cultural astronomers) and NGOs, the resistance of the Moqoit was decisive in preventing the meteorite from being taken out of the province.
In their demonstrations, the Moqoit stressed that the meteorite is not only significant to their history and identity, but also powerful and linked to beings with which
the ancient Moqoit established pacts in the past. Therefore, meteorites are dangerous objects to handle. In fact, many Moqoit posed that the earthquake that had
occurred in Japan back then was undoubtedly connected to the concern of the
poderoso linked to the meteorite at the possibility of the transfer. Even the Moqoit
leaders, whom the provincial authorities sought to persuade, pondered their support
in terms of the pros and cons in a negotiation between the conflicting interests of
two powers: provincial and national politicians, and sky beings.
58 It was written and directed by the Moqoit intercultural bilingual teacher and ‘cultural promoter’
Juan Carlos Martínez, and carried out within audiovisual production workshops organized by the
Dirección de Cine y Espacio Audiovisual of the province of Chaco, in collaboration with the
Centro de Formación y Experimentación Cinematográfica de Bolivia.
59 dOCUMENTA (13), in Kassel, Germany. This is one of the most renowned contemporary art
exhibitions today. Since 1955, it has been held every 5 years in Kassel. The last one, its 13th edition, took place in September 2012.
A. M. López