Litigation and summary proceedings. Land property in Melinao's tribe (Buenos Aires, second half of the 19th century)

Abstract

The following manuscript tackles the changes of indigenous territoriality in the context of State organization and the appearance of a land market in Pampa and North-Patagonia, during the second half of the 19th century. The dispute between Melinao’ tribe of and the Juez de Paz (Magistrate) of Bragado (Buenos Aires, Argentina) about land property in La Barrancosa, between 1860 and 1863, is an opportunity to analyse the use caciques and capitanejos made of social, political and symbolic capitals, as well as legal instruments to ensure access to land. The experience of the above mentioned tribe regarding land shows some innovations and adaptations in the indigenous leadership and also their socio-political agency in State jurisdiction; thus it is a contribution to this line of research coming from history and anthropology.