Indians of Argentina

When one circulates with foot, in the subway (subte), or buses (colectivo), in Buenos Aires it is impossible not to see these faces with the features mongoloid, with the long hair, which recalls that a long ago, before the arrival of the conquistadores, lived in these regions Indian tribes whose history goes up at the origin of times.

To speak about it, it can be preferable to distinguish them according to the environment in which they were established.

Indians of the Pampa (center) :
Without originality, the name given by the "conquistadores" to the tribes living in the" large meadow" was that of "Pampas". Until 18th century, it was however possible to distinguish several tribes: Caquanes, Guazunambis or Querandis. It was the latter which massacred probably the expedition of Juan Diaz de Solis. Araucans (or Mapuches) come from Patagonia gradually invaded the grounds of these tribes, thus marking the beginning of their extinction.

Indians of Mesopotamia (Northern):
Several ethnical groups had been installed on the edges of the Parana river. Excellent oarsmen and sinners, they left only few traces, in spite of the tales of Sebastien Cabot. In the current province of Misiones, lived Guayanas, with blue eyes and white skin. Farmers, they belonged with the guaranis to the linguistic group Tupi-Guarani. Described like cruel in the tales of the conquistadores, the guaranis were composed of various levels of civilization: Carios farmers, Agaces, pirates of the rivers. Made famous for film "Mission" of Roland Joffé, they constitute today the majority of the population of the Paraguay.

Indians of Cuyo (East -Mendoza):
At the feet of the Andes arround Mendoza and until the west of Cordoba, had settled the Huarpes Indians, divided into several ethnical groups of which Allientiacs and Millcayacs. Living hunting of Guanacos and Vicunas, they were described by Alonso de Ovalle (Theologist and Chilean scientist, 1603-1651) like peaceful.

Indians of the Sierras (Center-Cordoba):
In this area had been established Comechingones. Their own language disappeared today. They were for the majority bearded and lived in troglodytic dwellings. They were neighbours of an another group, Sanarivonas, farmers. The Sierras of Rioja and Catamarca were inhabited by Capayanes and Cacanos.

Indians of Chaco (North-Paraguay):
According to writings' of a German Jesuit, Florian Paucke (1719-1780), these areas were occupied by Mocobis, considered aggressive. Such point that one needed refonder the town of Santa Fe in another place. They spoke Pilaga and Toba, still used nowadays in the area of Resistencia. In the west of this province, lived Tonocotes, skilful potters and weavers and Matacos, installed nowadays still along Pilcomayo, in the forest between Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. Of course this area was also the stronghold of the Indians guaranis, whose language became the official language of Paraguay.

Indians of Noroeste (Salta):
At the time of Conquista, lived in this area the Omaguacas tribes, whose language was Aymara. Vassal of Incas, warriors, they had taken the ascending one on many people which were submitted to them. They knew the technics of ceramics, basket making, weaving, the irrigation (acequias), and builded forts of which there remain still traces. More in the south, one could find Diaguitas, divided into several tribes, who were of frightening adversaries of the conquistadores. Prohibited by the Spanish ones during several centuries, the languages practised by these tribes reappear: in particular Quechua and Aymara.

Indians of Patagonia (Southern):
The various ethnical groups which lived Patagonia belonged all to the civilization Mapuche (to which the Spaniards gave the name of Araucan). Dislodged of their habitat by the colonists, they migrated gradually towards North provocant in 19th century the disappearance of other groups established in particular in the Pampa. Estimated at 500000 people on arrival of Conquistadores, Mapuche civilization counts nothing any more but 50000 hearts nowadays, primarily in the South of Chile.

Indians of Tierra del Fuego:
Already populated 10000 years before JC, the Tierra del Fuego were inhabited by 4 groups: Onas in North, Haush in the East of the large island, Alakalufs in the Chilean part and Yamanas along the channel Beagle. Living fishing primarily, Onas and Yamanas completely disappeared today. Remain of the last only the memory of their language, thanks to the work of Pasteur Thomas Bridge.