Book

The Land-without-Evil: Tupí-Guaraní prophetism

University of Illinois PressUrbana And Chicago • Published In 1995 • Pages:

By: Clastres, Hélène, Brovender, Jacqueline Grenez.

Abstract
The major emphasis in this work is on Tupí-Guaraní prophetism, with a particular focus on the Guaraní. Clastres's study combines historical accounts from the early colonial period with ethnographic knowledge of Tupí-Guaraní religions in the twentieth century. ' In a concise, highly analytical style, Clastres's critique of earlier interpretations of Tupí-Guaraní religious movements takes us deeply into the major historical and anthropological sources though focusing on the thesis that Tupí-Guaraní migrations in search of the Land-without-Evil were generated by basic contradictions in indigenous societies rather than the history of interethnic relations with Catholic missionaries and other Europeans during the colonial period' (p. viii). In general the author's model of socioreligious dynamics revolves around two major foci, both of which are highly salient in current (1990s) anthropology: (1) the analysis of power relations within indigenous societies, and (2) the examination of mythic narrative and ritual speech as forms of indigenous discourse that are constitutive as well as reflective of sociopolitical relations (p. ix).
Subjects
Shamans and psychotherapists
Community heads
Cosmology
Mythology
Eschatology
Prophets and ascetics
Missions
Ethnopsychology
culture
Guaraní
HRAF PubDate
1998
Region
South America
Sub Region
Eastern South America
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Social Scientist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 1997
Field Date
no date
Coverage Date
1500s - early 1900s
Coverage Place
Paraguay
Notes
Hélène Clastres ; translated by Jacqueline Grenez Brovender
Translation of: Terre sans mal
Includes bibliographical references (p. 123-125) and index
LCCN
94032437
LCSH
Guarani Indians