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The Chilean Aymara and their Reproductive Patterns

1990; Springer Nature (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-94-009-2141-2_7

0926-9738

William J. Schull, Robert E. Ferrell, Sara A. Barton,

Cultural and Social Studies in Latin America

When Francisco and Hernando Pizzaro, and their erstwhile ally and fellow countryman, Diego de Almagro, led their intrepid bands of opportunists into Perú, and subsequently Chile most, if not all of the indigenous populations they encountered were undoubtedly increasing in number, albeit slowly. Soon thereafter, as contemporary censuses reveal, most of these populations underwent a decline, precipitously in some instances, more slowly in others. Presumably these changes reflected exposure to new diseases, and deaths occasioned by warfare and rebellion as well as the physical exploitation by the Spanish. Little is accurately known of the changes in reproductivity that may have occurred, but apocryphal anecdotes abound. Monge and Monge (1966; see also Monge, 1948) cite statements of Father Cobo (1891–2) to the effect that ‘The Indians are healthiest and where they multiply the most prolifically is in these same cold air-tempers, which is quite the reverse of what happens to children of the Spaniards, most of whom when born in such regions do not survive. But where it is most noticeable is in those who have half, a quarter, or any admixture of Indian blood; better they survive and grow; so that it is now a common saying based on everyday experience that babes having some Indian in them run less risk in the cold regions than those not having this admixture.’ and that ‘the birth of the first Spaniard did not take place until fifty-three years after the founding of Potosi (4500 m or 14,900 feet).’