90
shaman messengers (Terán, 1994: 42–43). The Qom leader Augusto Soria affirmed
that, according to his grandfather, compañero (companion) of the famous leader
Meguesoxochi, the last words of that leader before being captured by the army were
that if a small pigeon announcing his coming did not arrive, it would mean something bad had happened to him (Sánchez, 2009: 259). The Moqoit testimonies that
we collected also assert that the bird called Qom loo tells people that visitors will
arrive or an enemy is pursuing them. Although its call is easily heard, it is hard to
see. The Rufous Browed Peppershrike (Cychlaris gujanensis), pisaxasaia in Moqoit,
is another bird that may announce visits. The osi is a little bird whose whistle in the
bush announces the proximity of a Gray Brocket (Mazama gouazoubira) to the
hunter. If the white woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus), paro’ in Moqoit, ‘gleefully’ cries and flies up and down, people will come from far away. According to
Martínez-Crovetto (1995: 88), for the Tobas (Qom), the flight of the great black
hawk over houses (Urubitinga urubitinga),
40
announces ‘violent acts’ (war, revolution or murder) ‘outside the indigenous area’, or the presence of troops coming to
attack them. The same author points that for the Pilagá, it forebodes ‘something
bad’. When the great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)
41
sings flying over the houses,
it means the authorities are soon to come looking for someone. According to Jolis,
the gloomy song of the owl that he calls Great Dago, advises the Toba (Qom) of the
proximity of enemies (Jolis, 1972 [CA 1789]: 175).
The visit of a ‘messenger’ can come about in dreams. The Qom leader Nachicyi
or Juan Zorrilla, told Orlando Sánchez what follows about his father:
[…] my father surprisingly summoned his people to share the news that a bird spirit, called
Bochaxat in Toba, brought him at night. This being turns into a woman to contact him when
dangers for his people or a death threat are near (Sánchez, 2009: 332–333).
The Nanaicalo is a powerful non-human being that tends to manifest as a gigantic
snake. It is associated to waterholes and rainbows and manifests through storms,
hail and wind. He is especially sensitive to the presence of pregnant or menstruating
women close to water. Certain signs can reveal its presence. A Moqoit pi’xonaq
advised his nephew as follows:
Son, when you see the wasp […] called lechiguana
42 […] it means [that] the Nanaicalo
[is] close…
And also:
[That depression], [some] fifteen hundred meters away […] it never dries […] [That is why]
people used to say that maybe there is something there [some powerful non-human being].
(Marcos Gómez, Colonia Cacique Catán, Chaco, 2002)
According to Marcos, the unusual behaviour of wasps and the fact that a waterhole
never dries are signs of a powerful presence.
40 Olé’ in Moqoit, according to Martínez-Crovetto.
41 Retokí’ in Moqoit, according to Martínez-Crovetto.
42 Brachygastra lecheguana.
A. M. López
shaman messengers (Terán, 1994: 42–43). The Qom leader Augusto Soria affirmed
that, according to his grandfather, compañero (companion) of the famous leader
Meguesoxochi, the last words of that leader before being captured by the army were
that if a small pigeon announcing his coming did not arrive, it would mean something bad had happened to him (Sánchez, 2009: 259). The Moqoit testimonies that
we collected also assert that the bird called Qom loo tells people that visitors will
arrive or an enemy is pursuing them. Although its call is easily heard, it is hard to
see. The Rufous Browed Peppershrike (Cychlaris gujanensis), pisaxasaia in Moqoit,
is another bird that may announce visits. The osi is a little bird whose whistle in the
bush announces the proximity of a Gray Brocket (Mazama gouazoubira) to the
hunter. If the white woodpecker (Melanerpes candidus), paro’ in Moqoit, ‘gleefully’ cries and flies up and down, people will come from far away. According to
Martínez-Crovetto (1995: 88), for the Tobas (Qom), the flight of the great black
hawk over houses (Urubitinga urubitinga),
40
announces ‘violent acts’ (war, revolution or murder) ‘outside the indigenous area’, or the presence of troops coming to
attack them. The same author points that for the Pilagá, it forebodes ‘something
bad’. When the great kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)
41
sings flying over the houses,
it means the authorities are soon to come looking for someone. According to Jolis,
the gloomy song of the owl that he calls Great Dago, advises the Toba (Qom) of the
proximity of enemies (Jolis, 1972 [CA 1789]: 175).
The visit of a ‘messenger’ can come about in dreams. The Qom leader Nachicyi
or Juan Zorrilla, told Orlando Sánchez what follows about his father:
[…] my father surprisingly summoned his people to share the news that a bird spirit, called
Bochaxat in Toba, brought him at night. This being turns into a woman to contact him when
dangers for his people or a death threat are near (Sánchez, 2009: 332–333).
The Nanaicalo is a powerful non-human being that tends to manifest as a gigantic
snake. It is associated to waterholes and rainbows and manifests through storms,
hail and wind. He is especially sensitive to the presence of pregnant or menstruating
women close to water. Certain signs can reveal its presence. A Moqoit pi’xonaq
advised his nephew as follows:
Son, when you see the wasp […] called lechiguana
42 […] it means [that] the Nanaicalo
[is] close…
And also:
[That depression], [some] fifteen hundred meters away […] it never dries […] [That is why]
people used to say that maybe there is something there [some powerful non-human being].
(Marcos Gómez, Colonia Cacique Catán, Chaco, 2002)
According to Marcos, the unusual behaviour of wasps and the fact that a waterhole
never dries are signs of a powerful presence.
40 Olé’ in Moqoit, according to Martínez-Crovetto.
41 Retokí’ in Moqoit, according to Martínez-Crovetto.
42 Brachygastra lecheguana.
A. M. López