The Guaraní under Spanish rule in the Río de la Plata /

For generations, historians have offered two unrealistic stereotypes of the Christian missions in colonial Rio de la Plata (now Paraguay and parts of adjacent Argentina and Brazil): either a rigidly theocratic state within a state, strictly governed by Jesuits competing with the Spanish crown, or idyllic communal utopias scattered in the jungle. With heavy reliance on original ethnographic, archeological, and written documents, Ganson (Florida Atlantic Univ.) offers a fresh and realistic account that shows the Guarani locals as neither a passive, conquered mass of people meekly accepting whatever the Jesuits promoted nor as noble savages practicing altruistic socialism. She describes the contrasting interests of government administrators, local landowners, dedicated missionaries, intrusive slave hunters, and the indigenous populations, and considers the local impact of international events. The Guarani emerge as dynamic actors who retain some traditions while thoughtfully and selectively accepting innovations. Ample endnotes demonstrate meticulous attention to the ethnohistorical method of research and provide interesting leads for further study, without interfering with the smooth exposition. Appropriate maps and illustrations complement and strengthen the text. This book, which may well supersede most of its predecessors, is a must for those who care about the subject, and will interest many who know nothing about it. ^BSumming Up: Essential. All libraries. D. B. Heath Brown University