José Luis Lanata – författare

The Spanish conquerors who explored the southern cone of South America reported back to Europe that the region was empty of human inhabitants. In truth, however, the large area supported a thriving, albeit low-density, population of foragers. Those foragers—the Mapuche, Tehuelche, Rankuelche, and Fueguian peoples—are the subject of this volume, which presents archaeological and ethnographic studies of their past.The southern cone of South America was one of the last regions to be colonized on earth. When the Spanish Royal Crown experienced difficulties expanding its colonial frontiers to include these lands, the area became known as a vast wildnerness at the very edge of the civilized world. As a result, the native peoples who did indeed inhabit the area were marginalized and as time passed the significance of their historical experience was ignored. This compilation of research by noted scholars of the region investigates the past of peoples largely neglected by the historical accounts of their conquerors. The history of the native peoples of Pampa, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego is a vital aspect of the region's past. Their historical knowledge and experience play a vital role in the struggle of a people to maintain a sense of cultural difference in an ever-changing world.

The regions and the people of the southern cone of South America have been identified as wild and at the edge of the world. This compilation of research by scholars, many of whom are members of the Argentine Academia, effectively summarizes the struggle of the Mapuche, Tehuelche, Rankuelche, and Selk'nam peoples for a continued sense of cultural identity distinct from the one of inferiority foisted upon them by Spanish conquerors centuries ago.The native peoples of Pampa, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego on Argentina's southern cone are shown to be a dynamic people whose remarkable resilience and cultural survival has led them to a place in contemporary politics. Research exploring important current issues such as nationism and interethnic relations is included. Chapters address the seizure of Indian lands by the Spanish, selective policies of inclusion and exclusion, ethnocide and paternalism. The atrocities and injustices committed against these peoples reflect the experience of indigenous peoples all over the world. However, even in the face of adversity, the Mapuche, Tehuelche, Rankuelche, and Selk'nam peoples have maintained a sense of cultural difference, and they play a vital role in the culture and politics of the region.

The Spanish conquerors who explored the southern cone of South America reported back to Europe that the region was empty of human inhabitants. In truth, however, the large area supported a thriving, albeit low-density, population of foragers. Those foragers—the Mapuche, Tehuelche, Rankuelche, and Fueguian peoples—are the subject of this volume, which presents archaeological and ethnographic studies of their past.The southern cone of South America was one of the last regions to be colonized on earth. When the Spanish Royal Crown experienced difficulties expanding its colonial frontiers to include these lands, the area became known as a vast wildnerness at the very edge of the civilized world. As a result, the native peoples who did indeed inhabit the area were marginalized and as time passed the significance of their historical experience was ignored. This compilation of research by noted scholars of the region investigates the past of peoples largely neglected by the historical accounts of their conquerors. The history of the native peoples of Pampa, Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego is a vital aspect of the region's past. Their historical knowledge and experience play a vital role in the struggle of a people to maintain a sense of cultural difference in an ever-changing world.