80
would allow obtaining what is needed, a concept becomes central: nañan (entrega
in Spanish, surrender), and the associated notion of na’deenaxac or na’maqataxac.
14
This is frequently translated into Spanish as pacto (pact) by the Moqoit. The notion
of ‘pact’ refers mainly to the relationship established with the poderosos, owners of
the plant and animal species or of different places within the territory-such as the
bush, especially if it implies a connection between a pi’xonaq/pi’xonaxa and a powerful being who becomes his compañero (companion) and patrón (patron).
According to Buckwalter (1995) nañan literally means ‘he gives himself up’ or ‘he
gives it’; nañaañiguit means ‘he gives himself up to...’, and nañaanaxac ‘its surrender, its devotion, its dedication’:
The ancient talked to the animals … conversed with it … they got together, the pi’xonaq, to
tame that animal. (Marcelo Capanci, Colonia Cacique Catán, Chaco).
[…] they themselves made a pact with the god, so … that god is already assigned to that
person. [That person] is committed to serve that god, and will not devote to anything else.
Thus, [if seeking to calm that god] you need to find either that or that person, they have to
come to … dominate that [god], tame it […] because there has already been … pacto, with
that god. [Thus] it leaves and … it calms down. […] Pact, nañaañiguit, nañan, means to
give oneself up to, to surrender. Then it is forever. (Sixto Lalecorí, Colonia Cacique Catán,
Chaco).
15
For the most powerful end of the relation, the pacto implies entregarse (giving oneself up to), as in surrendering, being tamed (i.e. deposing the hostile attitude). For
the least powerful end, it means entregarse as in rendering service and dedication to
the one that is powerful.
However, both the pacto and taming are not restricted to the scope of the relations with the powerful non-human beings. The notion also covers other asymmetrical relations that imply the idea of a permanent association (and consequent change
of state). The pact thus works as a mechanism to regulate the link between two poles
among which there is a significant power inequality. This eradicates violence from
the interaction, while enabling abundance to flow from the most to the least powerful. A particular example is the link between the Moqoit and the Criollos, considered beings of power.
Well, the untamed never surrendered, in the past. They went to one place, and lived only by
hunting […] In order for them to be civilized, the white man has to go looking for them
through masses, through priests. […] Then … they do [a] […] small party, or [they give us
a] small help [and] then it is like if in exchange for [that] [..] we did [a] pact [with them]. I
mean…, they already dominate us […], with that religion that trespasses us […] [and] that
we have to accept (Sixto Lalecorí, Colonia Cacique Catán, Chaco).
14 Na’deenaxac means ‘its agreement’, ‘its pact’, ‘its plan’; na’maqataxac means ‘the pact it does’,
‘the agreement it does’, ‘its good behaviour’; and na’maxachiguit means ‘it makes a pact with’….
(Buckwalter, 1995). This concept is used, for example, in the translation made by the Moqoit
Roberto Ruíz and the Buckwalter couple from the Mennonite team, of the Genesis passage (Gen.
9, 1–17) on God’s deal with Noe following the deluge (Ruíz, Buckwalter, & Buckwalter, 1991).
15 If not otherwise specified, the person being interviewed belongs to the Moqoit ethnic group.
A. M. López
would allow obtaining what is needed, a concept becomes central: nañan (entrega
in Spanish, surrender), and the associated notion of na’deenaxac or na’maqataxac.
14
This is frequently translated into Spanish as pacto (pact) by the Moqoit. The notion
of ‘pact’ refers mainly to the relationship established with the poderosos, owners of
the plant and animal species or of different places within the territory-such as the
bush, especially if it implies a connection between a pi’xonaq/pi’xonaxa and a powerful being who becomes his compañero (companion) and patrón (patron).
According to Buckwalter (1995) nañan literally means ‘he gives himself up’ or ‘he
gives it’; nañaañiguit means ‘he gives himself up to...’, and nañaanaxac ‘its surrender, its devotion, its dedication’:
The ancient talked to the animals … conversed with it … they got together, the pi’xonaq, to
tame that animal. (Marcelo Capanci, Colonia Cacique Catán, Chaco).
[…] they themselves made a pact with the god, so … that god is already assigned to that
person. [That person] is committed to serve that god, and will not devote to anything else.
Thus, [if seeking to calm that god] you need to find either that or that person, they have to
come to … dominate that [god], tame it […] because there has already been … pacto, with
that god. [Thus] it leaves and … it calms down. […] Pact, nañaañiguit, nañan, means to
give oneself up to, to surrender. Then it is forever. (Sixto Lalecorí, Colonia Cacique Catán,
Chaco).
15
For the most powerful end of the relation, the pacto implies entregarse (giving oneself up to), as in surrendering, being tamed (i.e. deposing the hostile attitude). For
the least powerful end, it means entregarse as in rendering service and dedication to
the one that is powerful.
However, both the pacto and taming are not restricted to the scope of the relations with the powerful non-human beings. The notion also covers other asymmetrical relations that imply the idea of a permanent association (and consequent change
of state). The pact thus works as a mechanism to regulate the link between two poles
among which there is a significant power inequality. This eradicates violence from
the interaction, while enabling abundance to flow from the most to the least powerful. A particular example is the link between the Moqoit and the Criollos, considered beings of power.
Well, the untamed never surrendered, in the past. They went to one place, and lived only by
hunting […] In order for them to be civilized, the white man has to go looking for them
through masses, through priests. […] Then … they do [a] […] small party, or [they give us
a] small help [and] then it is like if in exchange for [that] [..] we did [a] pact [with them]. I
mean…, they already dominate us […], with that religion that trespasses us […] [and] that
we have to accept (Sixto Lalecorí, Colonia Cacique Catán, Chaco).
14 Na’deenaxac means ‘its agreement’, ‘its pact’, ‘its plan’; na’maqataxac means ‘the pact it does’,
‘the agreement it does’, ‘its good behaviour’; and na’maxachiguit means ‘it makes a pact with’….
(Buckwalter, 1995). This concept is used, for example, in the translation made by the Moqoit
Roberto Ruíz and the Buckwalter couple from the Mennonite team, of the Genesis passage (Gen.
9, 1–17) on God’s deal with Noe following the deluge (Ruíz, Buckwalter, & Buckwalter, 1991).
15 If not otherwise specified, the person being interviewed belongs to the Moqoit ethnic group.
A. M. López