The Guaraní attitude towards the expulsion of the Jesuits. Rituality, reciprocity and social space

Abstract

In 1767, King Charles III signed a decree expelling the Jesuits from the Spanish domains. This measure had a special effect upon the River Plate and Paraguay areas where the Jesuits developed  a stong religious program building up a system of 30 Guarani towns known as "Provincia Jesuítica del Paraguay" (Jesuit Paraguayan Province). In this work we analyze the expulsion process in its different phases, interpreting from an anthropological viewpoint- the indigenous attitude towards the change of government. We suggest the Indians perceived this change as a continuity of their reciprocal and ritual practices of their own life style. Through several ceremonial scenes the actors gave new meaning to the Spanish-Indian relations and at the same time differences between civilian and religious power arose. The new relations had the spatial effect of making the King´s charismnatic figure central.