Colonización del espacio, la palabra y el cuerpo en el Chaco argentino

This paper explores the conquest and colonization effects of theArgentinian Chaco as for the space, the language and the body of the region’snatives. Great changes took place in the way of life of the native groups (speciallythe mocovíes, tobas and pilagás, of the guaykurú linguistic branch, and the wichí,of the mataco-maká branch) with this process — a process that became very rapidand dynamic with the military expeditions sent by the government of Buenos Aires.in the years of 1884 through 1911. I focus on the consequences of the official policycarried out at the time, a policy of “pacifying” and “civilization” of the natives bymeans of a “reduction” system — reduction of the state and religion, and all othermeans of action associated to these. I also analyze the impact that such policies had on the construction of the legality, of the oral and written language, and also thefate of all the bodies disciplined by means of the “work” routines and the use ofspace characteristic of the western capitalist idea of work, that was to beimplemented in this region.