“Neither historians nor anybody takes that into account, however, my grandmother used to tell me about that…”. Historical narratives among the ranqueles of La Pampa

Abstract

Over the last decades, historical studies analyzing indigenous trajectories have changed significantly. New voices have come to complicate a historical narrative that was previously hegemonic and homogeneous, and that has now has begun to include new experiences and concerns. This article examines the articulations between past and present of the Ranquel from the northwest of the province of La Pampa (Argentina). It analyzes how their discourses contest official State and academic narratives. Ranqueles express their own versions about the processes and accounts that stated, firstly, that they were not natural natives and were dangerous, and then that they were hybrids and had lost all their indigenous cultural characteristics. These narratives lead us to alternative interpretation frames that are not only helpful to reconstruct certain periods of Argentine history, but also provide clues to understand the Ranqueles' present situation.