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The Charrúa were an
indigenous people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
or Indigenous Nation of the Southern Cone in present-day Uruguay and the adjacent areas in
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
( Entre Ríos) and Brazil ( Rio Grande do Sul). They were a semi-nomadic people who sustained themselves mainly through hunting and gathering. Since resources were not permanent in every region, they would constantly be on the move.Acosta y Lara, Eduardo, F. ''El Pais Charrua''. Fundacion BankBoston, 2002. Rain, drought, and other environmental factors determined their movement. For this reason they are often classified as seasonal nomads. The Charrúa people were massacred in a campaign in 1831 by the white colonial forces in Uruguay known as the
Massacre of Salsipuedes The Massacre of Salsipuedes () was an organised campaign to eradicate the last remnants of the now extinct Charrúa people. It was executed by the Uruguayan Army under the command of Uruguayan president Fructuoso Rivera. The massacre took place ...
. Though largely erased from modern histories, some communities of the Charrúa survived outside of Uruguay in Argentina and Brazil. It is believed that there are approximately between 160,000 and 300,000 individuals in Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil today who are descendants from surviving Charrúa. Contemporary descendants of the Charrúa have created organizations and advocacy for memory of the indigenous people.


History

The life of the Charrúas before contact with the Spanish Colonists remains to a large extent a mystery. The reason for this is that most knowledge about the Charrúas comes from Spanish contact with them. Chroniclers such as the Jesuit Pedro Lozano accused the Charrúan people of killing the
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
explorer
Juan Díaz de Solís Juan Díaz de Solís ( – 20 January 1516) was a 16th-century navigator and explorer. He is also said to be the first European to land on what is now modern day Uruguay. Biography His origins are disputed. One document records him as a Portuguese ...
during his 1515 voyage up the Río de la Plata. This was a crucial moment since it shows that the Charrúas were prepared to resist the Spanish invaders. Following the arrival of European settlers, the Charrúa, along with the Chana, strongly resisted the territorial invasion. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Charrúa were confronted by cattle exploitation that strongly altered their way of life, causing famine and forcing them to rely on cows and sheep. However, these were in that epoch increasingly privatized . ''Malones'' (raids) were resisted by settlers who freely shot any indigenous people who were in their way. Charrúas would move to the shore in summer to fish and gather clams, fruits, and roots and moved inland in winter to hunt deer, rheas, and smaller game with bolas (stones connected by short ropes that are thrown to ensnare prey) and bows and arrows.


Physical description

This is a descriptive statement by Jose Imbelloni "The skull is bulky and often presents a high bone thickness and significant weight, especially in the macrosomatic groups preserved in the south, the cheekbones are powerful and the chin is thick and protruding, the face is elongated and the nasal index leptorrino (narrow nose and long.) The construction of the skeleton is massive, at times enormous. Aside to this somewhat coarse macrosomatic canon, we must take into account the reciprocal proportions of the members, which point to a remarkable harmony. The athletic cut and balance of the muscular masses make the pámpido one of the most superb models of the human organism. With regard to physiognomy, there is almost no sexual dimorphism, and males are very little different from females. Current color of intense pigmentation, with bronzed reflections. Dark, hard and smooth hair."


Genocide

The drastic demographic reduction of the Charrúas did not occur until the administration of the first president of Uruguay,
Fructuoso Rivera José Fructuoso Rivera y Toscana (17 October 1784 – 13 January 1854) was a Uruguayan general and patriot who fought for the liberation of Banda Oriental from Brazilian rule, twice served as Uruguay's President and was one of the instigators ...
. Although Rivera initially maintained a good relationship with the Charrúas, the increasing dominance of the white people and desires of expansion led to hostilities. He therefore organized a genocide campaign known as ''La Campaña de Salsipuedes'' in 1831. This campaign was composed of three different attacks in three different places: "El Paso del Sauce del Queguay", "El Salsipuedes", and a passage known as "La cueva del Tigre". Legend has it that the first attack was a betrayal. Rivera knew the tribal leaders and called them to his barracks by the river, later named "Salsipuedes". He claimed that he needed their help to defend territory and that they should join him, however, once the Charrúas were drunk and off their guard, the Uruguayan soldiers attacked them. The following two attacks were carried out to eliminate the Charrúas that had escaped or had not been present. It is said that since 11 April 1831, when the Salsipuedes (meaning "Get-out-if-you-can") campaign was launched by a group led by Bernabé Rivera, nephew of Fructuoso Rivera, the Charrúas were then officially claimed to be extinct. Four surviving Charrúas were captured at Salsipuedes. The directory of the Oriental School of Montevideo thought a nearly extinct race would spark the interest of French scientists and public. They were Senacua Sénaqué, a
medicine man A medicine man or medicine woman is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas. Individual cultures have their own names, in their respective languages, for spiritual healers and cere ...
; Vaimaca-Pirú Sira, a warrior; and a young couple, Laureano Tacuavé Martínez and
María Micaëla Guyunusa Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, da ...
. All four were taken to Paris in 1833, where they were exhibited to the public. The display was not a success and they all soon died in France, including a baby daughter born to Sira and Guyunusa, and adopted by Tacuavé. The child was named María Mónica Micaëla Igualdad Libertad by the Charrúa, yet she was filed by the French as Caroliné Tacouavé. A monumental sculpture, ''Los Últimos Charrúas'' was built in their memory in Montevideo, Uruguay. After Salsipuedes, the Charrúa were gradually dispossessed of their sovereignty while the new state was affirming its jurisdiction over the whole territory. According to the Argentine census of 2001, there were 676 Charrúas living in the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina.


Legacy

Following the end of Uruguay's last dictatorship in 1985, a group of people has been affirming and vindicating their Charrúan ancestry. In August 1989, the Association of the Descendants of the Charrúa Nation (ADENCH, Asociación de Descendientes de la Nación Charrúa) was created to rescue, conserve, and promulgate the knowledge and presence of indigenous peoples in Uruguay. In 2005, another organisation was formed – CONACHA (Consejo de la Nación Charrúa) – where families came out of clandestinity and publicly self-recognized themselves as Charrúa. Not much is known about the Charrúa due to their cognitive erasure at an early time in Uruguayan history. The only surviving documents that concern the Charrúa are those of Spanish explorers, archaeologists, and anthropologists. A new body of literature is currently emerging about their oral history, contemporary ethnogenesis and activism. It is believed that there are approximately between 160,000 and 300,000 individuals in Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil today who are descendants from surviving Charrúa.Alayón, Wilfredo (28 March 2011). "Uruguay and the memory of the Charrúa tribe". The Prisma. Retrieved 20 Dec 2011. On November 9, 2007 the Câmara dos Vereadores of
Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, , Brazilian ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of 1,488,252 inhabitants (2020) makes it the twelfth most populous city in the country and the center of Brazil's fi ...
held a Solemn Act to recognize the Charruas as an existing
native brazilian Indigenous peoples in Brazil ( pt, povos indígenas no Brasil) or Indigenous Brazilians ( pt, indígenas brasileiros, links=no) once comprised an estimated 2000 tribes and nations inhabiting what is now the country of Brazil, before European co ...
people. The event was jointly organized by the Human Rights Commission of the Câmara dos Vereadores of Porto Alegre and the Human Rights Commission of the National Congress of Brazil. During the Act, Senators
Paulo Paim Paulo Renato Paim (born March 15, 1950) is a Brazilian steelworker turned politician. He served as a federal deputy from Rio Grande do Sul for the Workers' Party (''Partido dos Trabalhadores – PT'') from 1987 to 2002. On 2002, he was elect ...
and Sérgio Zambiasi congratulated the indigenous people for their "conquest and effort in a struggle that has lasted 172 years". The life of
cacica Cacica ( pl, Kaczyka, german: Kaczika) is a commune located in Suceava County, in the historical region of Bukovina, northeastern Romania. The commune is located in the central part of the county, from the town of Gura Humorului, from the city ...
-geral Acuab, the most notable Charrua chief of Rio Grande do Sul and the first female cacique of the Charruas, was the subject of the documentary ''Perambulantes'' (Brazil, 2009), by Giancarla Brunnetto e Karine Emerich. Acuab, cacique of Aldeia Polidoro, is credited with going to Brasilia and handing over to then-
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Lula a document that asked for the recognition of her people by Fundação National do Índio. Acuab reached the President after evading his
security detail A security detail, often known as a PSD (protective services detail, personal security detachment, personal security detail) or PPD (personal protection detail), is a protective team assigned to protect the personal security of an individual or ...
. This recognition would come in September, 2007. By 2008 the city of Porto Alegre would grant Aldeia Polidoro (a 9 ha area) the status of municipal indigenous territory. Uruguayans refer to themselves as "''charrúa''" when in the context of a competition or battle against a foreign contingent. In situations in which Uruguayans display bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, the expression "''garra charrúa''" (charrúan tenacity) is used to refer to victory in the face of certain defeat.


Other uses

* There is a Charrúa cemetery located in
Piriápolis Piriápolis is a city in the Maldonado Department of Uruguay. It is an important summer resort in the country, predating the larger and better known resort town of Punta del Este. Because it is mainly used as a resort, it has a relatively small per ...
in the
Maldonado Department The Maldonado Department ( es, Departamento de Maldonado; ), with an area of and 164,300 inhabitants (2011), is located to the southeast of Uruguay. Its capital is Maldonado. Geography and climate Neighbouring departments are Rocha to the Eas ...
. * The Uruguay national football team is nicknamed "Los Charrúas" and a local rugby side in
Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, , Brazilian ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of 1,488,252 inhabitants (2020) makes it the twelfth most populous city in the country and the center of Brazil's fi ...
are also named after the nation. * Charrua, a municipality in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. * "Charrua" is also the name of a Brazilian military tank used for troop transportation. * '' Tabaré'' was published in 1888; it being an epic poem by
Juan Zorrilla de San Martín Juan Zorrilla de San Martín (28 December 1855 – 3 November 1931) was a Uruguayan epic poet and political figure. He is referred to as the "National Poet of Uruguay". Well-known poems Two of Zorrilla's best-known poems are '' Tabaré'' ( ...
about a Charrúa and his love for a Spanish woman. * The rivuline '' Austrolebias charrua'' was named after them. * A street in Montevideo in the neighbourhoods of
Pocitos :''Pocitos is also the colloquial name for the city of Salvador Mazza, Salta Province, Argentina'' Pocitos is an upscale beach ''barrio'' (neighbourhood or district) in Uruguay's capital city, Montevideo. Location This area is located along the b ...
and
Cordón Cordón is a central ''barrio'' (neighbourhood or district) of Montevideo, Uruguay, located East of the Centro. Its main avenue is 18 de Julio Avenue. History Cordón was the first neighborhood to be created outside the walls of the old Citade ...
is named "Charrúa".


See also

*
Indigenous peoples in Uruguay Indigenous peoples in Uruguay or Native Uruguayans, are the peoples who lived in the modern state of Uruguay. Because of colonial practices, disease and active exclusion, only a very small share of the population is aware or knows of indigenous a ...
* Minuane people


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * *


External links

*
Charrúa artwork
National Museum of the American Indian {{DEFAULTSORT:Charrua People Society of Uruguay History of South America Indigenous culture of the Americas Indigenous peoples in Argentina Indigenous peoples in Brazil Indigenous peoples in Uruguay History of Uruguay Indigenous peoples of the Southern Cone Genocide of indigenous peoples of South America