Wichí (also Wichi ) and in Bolivia Weenhayek , is the names of an Amerindian ethnos group of the central Chaco and southern Chaco, in South America, especially in Argentine, but also in Bolivia and with the Paraguay. The Quechua S of the INCA empire gave them the pejorative name of Matacos , name under which they were called until the end of the XXe century ( mataco is in fact the name of a species of Tatou, commun run in the area).

Geographical distribution

With the XVIe century, Wichís lived the Western zones of central and southern Chaco, mainly left bank of the Río Bermejo between the southern 21º and the 22º 55 ' south. Later, under the effect of the invasion of the Avá-Guaranís (or Chiriguanos) and of their own population growth, they moved towards the north of the Bermejo and towards the south-east of the area of Chaco.

They were wandering in the beginning, but their old proximity with the Andean ethnos groups influenced them at the point to acquire some their characteristic features cultural, like the Monogamie, the possession of territories by the families (restricted groups of the same relationship), as well as a beginning of Agriculture with accumulation of surpluses, which of course supported sedentariness on their premises.

In 2007, Wichís lived mainly in the east of the Département of Tarija, in Bolivia and in Chaco of the province Argentine of Salta (in the North-East of this province). There exist also wichís establishments in the west of Argentinas provinces of Formosa and the Chaco, like in the extreme North-West of the province of Santiago del Estero. It is possible that there are of them some in the extreme south-west of boreal Chaco to the Paraguay, but they were not recorded like such in the last censuses.

Origin

Many antropologists allots an origin patagonienne to them (pampide), but with indubitable influences and contributions Amazonian and Andean, which is reflected in their face: their stature is generally less than that of the other ethnos groups of Chaco of the pampide family.

Language

Their language belongs to the group called Mataco-mataguayo . This group includes other ethnos groups: the ethnos groups Chorote , Maká , Chulupí , Mataguayo and vejoce . As for the latter, their filiation with Wichís current (in 2007) is so narrow that one simply regards them as an ethnic partiality.

Company

Already with the XVIe century, they had adopted a quasi complete sedentary lifestyle, having establishments along the rivers. They formed made communities of the same individuals family origin. Each one of them was managed by a chief and a council Community trained male members. Certain communities or parental groups formed partialities. Their dwellings were Hutte S ( huep ) built with branches, which had the shape of cups from 2 to 3 meters in diameter. In each one the members of the same family lived.

Food

Before the XXe century, their agriculture exceeded hardly the stage of the Horticulture, and in spite of the Andean influence of which it was question higher, they preserved (and preserve always today) the drive out-gathering mode of production. Their principal food came from the Chasse, the fishing and the Cueillette. The women dealt with the culture small Zucchini S, and all took part in the seasonal coconut gathering of Palmiers (the such pindó, the yatay, the caranday), of carobs, beans of Marron S, of tasi, like with the collection of the Miel.

As at much of other people whose mode of production was until there are little mainly hunting and fishing, the interdependence with the animals is such as Wichís managed from there to qualify the latter of " frères".

Their objects and ustensils were mainly made of wood (for example instruments of ploughing which had a certain resemblance to the llakta of the Andean people), although it affectionnaient also work of Vannerie, of Céramique, polished stone and the Textile S like the yika or purses of ( Bromelia hieronymi or chaguar in quechua) very much used to make elegant gibecières called yiska .

Religion

The anthropologists included their system of beliefs in the Animisme and the Chamanisme. They returned a worship to the beings of nature and had the concept of a higher being (Tokuah or Tokuaj) which governed the world.

History after the conquest

The Spaniards could never subject the people of Chaco of the time of their colonization. It is only at the end of the XIXe century that the Argentinian ones made the conquest of these grounds. As into Patagonie, this one resulted in massacres and control.

See also: Conquest of the desert

As of the end of decade 1870, Wichís started to be reduced by the white man. They were forced to work in the harvest of the Coton, in the painful harvest of the Canne to sugar (the will zafra ) or to pay their debts in the form of forest work carried out with the axe. In 1914 arrived of the English missionaries who converted them with the Anglicanisme: these pastors withdrew themselves in 1982 during the Guerre of the Falklands, which made it possible Wichís to recover some of their cultural features and to be organized in communities. So that in 1986, bilingualism was allowed in the schools of the area which they live.

Throughout the XXe century, their living conditions were those of an extreme poverty i.e. of quasi indigence, remaining thanks to the culture of small pieces, with the gathering, the hunting and the fishing of the degraded resources of the Chaco, or thanks to the product sales of their craft industry, of great artistic value and technique in addition (the men carry out woodcarvings of guayacán, the women produce fabrics of caraguatá and small ceramics). As much of members of other Amerindian ethnos groups Argentinas, Wichís were hispanisés mainly and good number of them migrated in the urban areas, where one finds them in the humblest districts.

Many Wichí were converted with the Protestantisme the evangelists or the pentecotists.

Current location

In 2007, Wichís constituted the second indigenous ethnos group of Chaco of the province of Salta and had bilingual schools not to lose their traditions. The further enquiries to the census carried out into 2004-2005 indicate that some 40.000 Argentinian is recognized like pertaining to the ethnos group wichí. Among them, 47% speak their language quasi exclusively (among the latter, 80% are women).

See too

• History of Argentina - not subjected natives remained

External bonds

• the Community wichi Hoktek you oi