New Books in Early Modern History Shawn Michael Austin, "Colonial Kinship: Guaraní, Spaniards, and Africans in Paraguay" (U New Mexico Press, 2020)
Apr 7, 2022
In this engaging discussion, Shawn Michael Austin, an Associate Professor of History at the University of Arkansas, delves into the intricate web of kinship between the Guaraní, Spaniards, and Africans during Paraguay's colonial era. He explores how Guaraní kinship structured intercultural relations, showing that colonial strategies often revolved around familial ties. Austin highlights the resilience of the Guaraní as they shaped society despite colonial pressures and reveals the profound impacts of language and kinship on identity and community. His insights into contemporary narratives and intercultural complexities breathe life into Paraguay's rich history.
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Chapters
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Episode notes
Litigation Over Soldiers' Night In Town
- Two Spanish soldiers stayed overnight in a Guaraní town and relations with local women were later litigated without clear evidence of force.
- The case highlights complex social ties and possible informal friendships between Spaniards and Guaraní.
Asunción Became A Guaraní‑Styled City
- Guaranization transformed Asunción: Spaniards adopted Guaraní language, food, and customs, making the city culturally hybrid.
- Asunción functioned as a rural-urban space where Guaraní often lived inside Spanish households rather than segregated neighborhoods.
Read Gifts As Social Obligations
- Recognize reciprocity as a binding norm in colonial kinship ties and track gift exchanges.
- Use linguistic cues (e.g., tepu) to interpret reciprocity and power shifts over time.