La nostalgia wichí como un estado del alma

Abstract

It has been our hypothesis that in some ethnic groups, such as the Wichí, the perception of a previous existente of welfare, and its rupture after the mythic separation of the world of their ancestors, provokes a deep nostalgia. Present time is only bearable by means of an intricate set of rules that cannot prevent this feeling of dissatisfaction. We postulate that this attitude is reflected in their sociability as well as in all the significant elements of their daily life. Thus, other native societies of the Chaco that do not show so radical nostalgia for mythic worlds, will display in their daily life social manners and attitudes frankly divergent. The study of this subject has already begun, in first instance, in comparison with other Chacoan ethnic groups, excellently studied by other authors, who present a negative evaluation of the world of their ancestors as compared to present time. We think that, correlatively, they imply models of sociability and perspectives for the future frankly opposed to the Wichí, as the cases of the Ishír, and Nivaclé. This article constitutes a deepening of this issue.