85
point the men of yesteryear contemplated the action of the ultraviolet rays that were totally
elevated (Sánchez, 2004: 13).
With a vocabulary imbued with scientific notions, taken from the school environment, the text by Orlando Sánchez defines the status of this reading of the sky and
earth phenomena. The terms with which he refers to the stars show the relevance of
observing their movements, especially heliacal risings and settings.
In our fieldwork, we have frequently been told that the next change of era must
be accompanied by a change in the camino (path) or nayic, that is, the Milky Way.
That the current one ‘enters’ (dentre) and another ‘leaves’ (salga) is a seña of a
change of era. This was expected for ‘2000’, and also for ‘2003’. These dates were
highly inspired by the expectations of the surrounding culture regarding the millennium, as well as by the long millenarian tradition within the evangelical movements.
Nevertheless, the expectations about a change of era leading to the end of the domination of the criollos over the aborigines, accompanied by cosmological signs, follow a long tradition. It had a strong influence in the Chaco uprisings of the first half
of the twentieth century (Cordeu & Siffredi, 1971).
In this context, an account on the mythical origin of the current hardships of the
Moqoit, refers once again to the señas. The Moqoit tell a story called “La Seña”,
where their people gradually retrieved the goods that appeared (marked with señas
indicating what could be taken) by the ‘old, ancient or large algarrobo tree’
27
(Mapiqo’xoic) and distributed them equally. This paradisiacal situation was interrupted when they took more than they should have taken. Here we transcribe one of
the most complete versions that we have collected
28
:
Before, riches were given to the aboriginal brothers […] [In that time] two brothers were
wandering in the bush. They found a cloth [by a tree] and a sign could be seen [in it], [a
line]. [They understood] that sign [indicated] they had to distribute what appeared [there]
among all [each day] … […] The following day it is said money [appeared] … Money that
the ancients did not know. Money on this side [of the line], money on this [other] side, of
the line. And that line [means] they have to take [what is] in that side [of the line] and leave
the rest. And they have to distribute it among all. The following day: a pen on this side, a
pen on this [other] side … with tamed animals. The following day, again, it is said they
found little hats, on this side and on this [other] side, little hats. And it all seemed calculated … as … if the Lord was providing [for each and every one]. At the following day,
[there are] weapons, […] daggers or bayonets […] Afterwards, commodities on this side,
on this [other] side, fully stocked [there was enough for everyone]. Afterwards [on the day
that followed] one pot [on each side]. At the following, spoons […] But [after] a whole
week, [people] broke the whole sign [because they wanted] to take everything [disregarding
the sign indication]. Ahhh! … Look, if [they had] taken moderately [if they had not taken
more than what was indicated by the sign] … [On the next day] gold would have appeared
[but because of the transgression nothing appeared]. (Marcos Gómez, Colonia Cacique
Catán, Chaco, 1999).
27 Prosopis nigra
28 For the sake of clarity, we have simplified repetitions and expressions, without altering the
account’s meaning.
Signs, Not Phenomena: Moqoit Cosmo-politics and Alternative Experiences…
point the men of yesteryear contemplated the action of the ultraviolet rays that were totally
elevated (Sánchez, 2004: 13).
With a vocabulary imbued with scientific notions, taken from the school environment, the text by Orlando Sánchez defines the status of this reading of the sky and
earth phenomena. The terms with which he refers to the stars show the relevance of
observing their movements, especially heliacal risings and settings.
In our fieldwork, we have frequently been told that the next change of era must
be accompanied by a change in the camino (path) or nayic, that is, the Milky Way.
That the current one ‘enters’ (dentre) and another ‘leaves’ (salga) is a seña of a
change of era. This was expected for ‘2000’, and also for ‘2003’. These dates were
highly inspired by the expectations of the surrounding culture regarding the millennium, as well as by the long millenarian tradition within the evangelical movements.
Nevertheless, the expectations about a change of era leading to the end of the domination of the criollos over the aborigines, accompanied by cosmological signs, follow a long tradition. It had a strong influence in the Chaco uprisings of the first half
of the twentieth century (Cordeu & Siffredi, 1971).
In this context, an account on the mythical origin of the current hardships of the
Moqoit, refers once again to the señas. The Moqoit tell a story called “La Seña”,
where their people gradually retrieved the goods that appeared (marked with señas
indicating what could be taken) by the ‘old, ancient or large algarrobo tree’
27
(Mapiqo’xoic) and distributed them equally. This paradisiacal situation was interrupted when they took more than they should have taken. Here we transcribe one of
the most complete versions that we have collected
28
:
Before, riches were given to the aboriginal brothers […] [In that time] two brothers were
wandering in the bush. They found a cloth [by a tree] and a sign could be seen [in it], [a
line]. [They understood] that sign [indicated] they had to distribute what appeared [there]
among all [each day] … […] The following day it is said money [appeared] … Money that
the ancients did not know. Money on this side [of the line], money on this [other] side, of
the line. And that line [means] they have to take [what is] in that side [of the line] and leave
the rest. And they have to distribute it among all. The following day: a pen on this side, a
pen on this [other] side … with tamed animals. The following day, again, it is said they
found little hats, on this side and on this [other] side, little hats. And it all seemed calculated … as … if the Lord was providing [for each and every one]. At the following day,
[there are] weapons, […] daggers or bayonets […] Afterwards, commodities on this side,
on this [other] side, fully stocked [there was enough for everyone]. Afterwards [on the day
that followed] one pot [on each side]. At the following, spoons […] But [after] a whole
week, [people] broke the whole sign [because they wanted] to take everything [disregarding
the sign indication]. Ahhh! … Look, if [they had] taken moderately [if they had not taken
more than what was indicated by the sign] … [On the next day] gold would have appeared
[but because of the transgression nothing appeared]. (Marcos Gómez, Colonia Cacique
Catán, Chaco, 1999).
27 Prosopis nigra
28 For the sake of clarity, we have simplified repetitions and expressions, without altering the
account’s meaning.
Signs, Not Phenomena: Moqoit Cosmo-politics and Alternative Experiences…