Marriage? Yes, but not forever: Christian matrimony and the indigenous cultural dynamics in Paraguayan reductions
Abstract
In their missionary enterprise in the reductions in Paraguay, the Jesuits were shocked by several difficulties related to the difference in customs and traditions between the Western and the native cultures. Marriage practices were one of the traditions combated by the missionaries, who considered the indigenous habits to be wrong from a Christian point of view. Thus, in their letters they insisted on an urgent implementation of the monogamous and perpetual Christian matrimony. This article analyzes, on the basis of the Jesuits’ correspondence, the conflict between those cultures when the priests started their attempt to replace the native matrimonial habits by the Christian model, which caused a shock between both societies, but also exchanges and adaptations.
Key words: Christian matrimony, gift logic, Plata River reductions, 17th century.Downloads
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