Las relaciones interétnicas en el Pilcomayo medio: la guerra indígena y sus transformaciones (1882-1938)

Ethnic composition and inter-ethnic contact at the Middle Pilcomayo river are focused through the examination of the narratives of explorers, military agents and missionaries, analyzing the transformations occurred from the end of the XIXth. century until the middle XXth. century. Two are the main issues: fi rst, introducing density in the revision of ethnic categories, especially puzzling in the explorers’ account; second, to discuss the logic of indigenous war, relating it with vengeance and the relations of friendship and hostility. The authors’ argument is that war owed to shifting political strategies which varied according to historical context, changing hostility into alliance and vice versa.