The Conquest of the Desert : Argentina's Indigenous peoples and the battle for history

For more than one hundred years, the Conquest of the Desert (1878-1885) has marked Argentina's historical passage between eras, standing at the gateway to the nation's "Golden Age" of progress, modernity, and - most contentiously - national whiteness and the "invisibilization" of Indigenous peoples. This traditional narrative has deeply influenced the ways in which many Argentines understand their nation's history, its laws and policies, and its cultural heritage. As such, the Conquest has shaped debates about the role of Indigenous peoples within Argentina in the past and present. The Conquest of the Desert brings together scholars from across disciplines to offer an interdisciplinary examination of the Conquest and its legacies. This collection explores issues of settler colonialism, Indigenous-state relations, genocide, borderlands, and Indigenous cultures and land rights through essays that reexamine one of Argentina's most important historical periods. Dedication 8 Contents 10 List of Illustrations 12 Acknowledgments 14 Introduction: Tracing the Battle for History • Carolyne R. Larson 18 1 The Conquest of the Desert: The Official Story • Carolyne R. Larson 34 2 “Occupy Every Road and Prepare for Combat”: Mapuche and Tehuelche Leaders Face the War in Patagonia • Julio Vezub and Mark Healey 60 3 Environment and the Conquest of the Desert, 1876–1885 • Rob Christensen 88 4 Live Indians in the Museum: Connecting Evolutionary Anthropology with the Conquest of the Desert • Ricardo D. Salvatore 114 5 Beyond the “Desert”: Indigenous Genocide as a Structuring Event in Northern Patagonia • Walter Delrioand Pilar Pérez 139 6 Redefining Borders: The Desert in Argentine Literature • Jennie I. Daniels 163 7 The Long Conquista del Desiertoand the Making of Military Government Indigenous Policy, 1976–1983 • David M. K. Sheinin 188 8 Senses of Painful Experience: Memory of the Mapuche People in Violent Times • Ana Ramos 214 9 Mapping Mapuche Territory: Reimagining the Conquest of the Desert • Sarah D. Warren 236 Bibliography 256 Contributors 282 Index 284 For more than one hundred years, the Conquest of the Desert (1878-1885) has marked Argentina's historical passage between eras, standing at the gateway to the nation's "Golden Age" of progress, modernity, and--most contentiously--national whiteness and the "invisibilization" of Indigenous peoples. This traditional narrative has deeply influenced the ways in which many Argentines understand their nation's history, its laws and policies, and its cultural heritage. As such, the Conquest has shaped debates about the role of Indigenous peoples within Argentina in the past and present. The Conquest of the Desert brings together scholars from across disciplines to offer an interdisciplinary examination of the Conquest and its legacies. This collection explores issues of settler colonialism, Indigenous-state relations, genocide, borderlands, and Indigenous cultures and land rights through essays that reexamine one of Argentina's most important historical periods. -- back cover