Childrearing and child participation in rural communities of Northern Calchaqui Valleys (Northwest Argentina)

Este artículo analiza varios aspectos emergentes de una investigación etnográfica acerca de la crianza y del desarrollo de los niños desde una perspectiva ecológica. Se enfoca en los resultados de un estudio etnográfico realizado en comunidades rurales de los Valles Calchaquíes (Salta, Noroeste Argentino) y basada en el uso de las técnicas propias de la etnografía. Tomando como referente el concepto de «nicho de desarrollo», se caracterizan los discursos y prácticas de crianza y cuidado de la salud de los niños (guaguas) en el marco de las actividades de subsistencia a escala doméstica. Por otro lado, se profundizan las transformaciones de estos discursos a través de las generaciones así como sus articulaciones y tensiones con diversos saberes y prácticas institucionales.Cet article analyse plusieurs aspects notoires d’une recherche ethnographique sur l’éducation et le développement des enfants selon une perspective écologique. Il se concentre sur les résultats d’une étude ethnographique menée dans des communautés rurales des vallées Calchaquies (Salta, nordouest de l’Argentine) et basée sur l’utilisation des techniques propres à l’ethnographie. À partir du concept de « niche de développement », sont caractérisés les discours et pratiques d’éducation et de soin à la santé des enfants (guaguas) au sein des activités de subsistance à l’échelle domestique. Par ailleurs, sont approfondies les transformations de ces discours à travers les générations ainsi que leurs articulations et tensions avec les divers savoirs et pratiques institutionnelles.This paper analyzes some aspects emerging from an ethnographic research about childrearing and child development from an ecological perspective. Its focuses on results if a fieldwork carried out in rural communities of the Calchaqui Valleys (Salta, Northwest Argentina) and based on the use of ethnographic techniques. By taking as reference the concept of “developmental niche”, discourses and practices about childrearing and children’s health care (guaguas) are characterized in the context of subsistence activities at the domestic scope. Moreover, transformations of theses discourses through generations and their articulations and tensions with different knowledge and institutional practices are deepened.Fil: Remorini, Carolina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Growing Up in the Forest : Ethnographic Study on Mbya Childrearing Values and Practices

Although some cultural analyses still use simplistic dualisms such as collectivism vs individualism or interdependence vs autonomy, a balance between individual and collective goals and values is noticeable in many Indigenous communities. Mbya Guarani perspectives on children's growth and development, emphasizes the balance between interdependence and autonomy as complementary values. This article examines the ideas of reciprocity, respect, autonomy, and interdependence of lives and the impact of these on children's development and health. Using an ecological perspective that recognizes humans' relationship with other living beings that inhabit the forest, this article is based on ethnographic research conducted in two Mbya Guarani communities (Argentina). Respect and reciprocity are key for children to develop as part of thecommunity and the forest and they are related to children's wellbeing and health. I describe Mbya perspectives on children's growth and development, providing examples of environmentally relevant skills to grow up in the forest. These skills are associated with particular ways of inhabiting the forest, including learning how to walk in it and developing entendimiento (understanding). These make possible children's integration incommunity life through their participation and collaboration in daily activities.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y MuseoLaboratorio de Investigaciones en Etnografía Aplicad

Growing Up in the Forest : Ethnographic Study on Mbya Childrearing Values and Practices

Although some cultural analyses still use simplistic dualisms such as collectivism vs individualism or interdependence vs autonomy, a balance between individual and collective goals and values is noticeable in many Indigenous communities. Mbya Guarani perspectives on children's growth and development, emphasizes the balance between interdependence and autonomy as complementary values. This article examines the ideas of reciprocity, respect, autonomy, and interdependence of lives and the impact of these on children's development and health. Using an ecological perspective that recognizes humans' relationship with other living beings that inhabit the forest, this article is based on ethnographic research conducted in two Mbya Guarani communities (Argentina). Respect and reciprocity are key for children to develop as part of thecommunity and the forest and they are related to children's wellbeing and health. I describe Mbya perspectives on children's growth and development, providing examples of environmentally relevant skills to grow up in the forest. These skills are associated with particular ways of inhabiting the forest, including learning how to walk in it and developing entendimiento (understanding). These make possible children's integration incommunity life through their participation and collaboration in daily activities.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y MuseoLaboratorio de Investigaciones en Etnografía Aplicad

Considerations about Health/Illness Processes in the First Stages of the Life Cycle in two Mbya-Guaraní Communities from the Province of Misiones, Argentina

This paper presents the preliminary results from my research focused on beliefs and practices related with the life cycle and certain health-illness processes related to their different stages, in two Mbya communities in the province of Misiones, in the Argentinian northeast. We have centered our research on parasite illnesses and the groups’ numerous beliefs and experiences around their origin, diagnosis, prevention and therapeutics. Starting from the results obtained from an interdisciplinary research project on enteroparasitosis in these aboriginal communities and my work within the framework of some ethnographic research that has been developing since 1996, we set out to approach their knowledge and practices around gastrointestinal diseases mainly affecting child population, in the context of the group’s everyday life. Systematic observation was made of the activities performed by different sex and age members in several domestic units of these communities, in order to characterize the diagnosis, treatment and prevention strategies performed by different individuals as well as recognize and define risk situations related with parasite infestation and transmission in the context of their domestic activities. Likewise, open-ended interviews were made to adults of both sexes – laymen and local experts - in order to access to the group’s categorization and definition of the lifecycle, as well as investigate into the health- illness processes associated to their different stages. Our investigation showed that certain forms of child care, in particular those related to respecting food prescriptions and taboos are meant to protect children from possible risk situations. Analysis and assessment of this information lead us to propose certain hypotheses about the connection between these practices and different environmental factors in terms of the prevalence of these illnesses during the first stages of life.Fil: Remorini, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentin

Play and child development : Considerations from a comparative ethnographic research in two rural Argentinian communities

Fil: Remorini, Carolina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Rende, Micaela. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentin

Acerca de Niños en riesgo y padres no suficientemente buenos : conceptualizaciones en torno a la infancia, los niños y sus familias como objeto de políticas de salud en Molinos (Salta, Argentina)

Fil: Remorini, Carolina. Cátedra de Etnografía I. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Palermo, María Laura. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Becoming a person from Mbya Guarani perspective (Misiones Province, Argentina)

The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss some results from an ethnographic research on Argentinian Mbya communities focused on representations and practices related to childrearing and development during the first stages of life course. Firstly, I describe Mbya lingüistic categories, representations and values about growth and development, focusing on processes and events which allow children to be transformed into persons. Mitã ñemongakuaa is the Mbya language expression used to refer to rearing practices; literally, it means “to make a child grow”. Being “kakuaa” , the term used to refer to children´s growth and development which is considered by Mbya people as a cultural and not natural process. In this sense, kakuaa means the achievement of certain socially recognized skills and attributes which makes the transition between life stages possible, bringing a change in children’s status. Therefore, being a “Mbya” is a status that is not achieved by birth but only when the personal name (sacred name) is given to the child. In this sense, one of the most important transitions in life course, which allows children to become persons, is the giving name ceremony called Ñemongarai. Secondly, I present some aspects of Mbya parental ethnotheories about childrearing and children´s growth and development. I specially analyze motor function as a central indicator of growth and health, describing daily practices oriented to promote movement as well as the beliefs and knowledge that justify them. Finally, based on that, I stress the close relationship among movement, children´s health, personhood and identity notion from Mbya perspectiveACCIG Symposium: The Cultural Construction of Identity: How Children Become Persons. Organizer: Dr. David Lancy (USA).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Becoming Asustado (Scared): An Ethnographic Contribution to a Transdisciplinary Approach to Children’s Health and Development

We characterized and analyzed women’s narrative around the idea of becoming asustado (scared) as a cultural way of understanding why children get sick repeatedly or develop illnesses that become increasingly severe, as part of a study carried out in rural communities from the Molinos District, in the North-West of Argentina. We analyze and discuss the implications of becoming asustado for everyday child-rearing and children's health, sociability, and performance in different community endeavors from ethnographic data. We intentionally selected 15 cases elaborated based on 55 semi-structured interviews with 15 women, between 25 and 55 years old, all caregivers of children under 6 years old. Our results show that susto (fright) serves as an explanation for those people who do not fit with cultural expectations about their phenotype and social performance. Also, it is a culturally acceptable way of dealing with both physical and mental stress.Fil: Remorini, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Etnografía Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Palermo, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Etnografía Aplicada; Argentin

Childrearing and child participation in rural communities of Northern Calchaqui Valleys (Northwest Argentina)

Este artículo analiza varios aspectos emergentes de una investigación etnográfica acerca de la crianza y del desarrollo de los niños desde una perspectiva ecológica. Se enfoca en los resultados de un estudio etnográfico realizado en comunidades rurales de los Valles Calchaquíes (Salta, Noroeste Argentino) y basada en el uso de las técnicas propias de la etnografía. Tomando como referente el concepto de «nicho de desarrollo», se caracterizan los discursos y prácticas de crianza y cuidado de la salud de los niños (guaguas) en el marco de las actividades de subsistencia a escala doméstica. Por otro lado, se profundizan las transformaciones de estos discursos a través de las generaciones así como sus articulaciones y tensiones con diversos saberes y prácticas institucionales.Cet article analyse plusieurs aspects notoires d’une recherche ethnographique sur l’éducation et le développement des enfants selon une perspective écologique. Il se concentre sur les résultats d’une étude ethnographique menée dans des communautés rurales des vallées Calchaquies (Salta, nordouest de l’Argentine) et basée sur l’utilisation des techniques propres à l’ethnographie. À partir du concept de « niche de développement », sont caractérisés les discours et pratiques d’éducation et de soin à la santé des enfants (guaguas) au sein des activités de subsistance à l’échelle domestique. Par ailleurs, sont approfondies les transformations de ces discours à travers les générations ainsi que leurs articulations et tensions avec les divers savoirs et pratiques institutionnelles.This paper analyzes some aspects emerging from an ethnographic research about childrearing and child development from an ecological perspective. Its focuses on results if a fieldwork carried out in rural communities of the Calchaqui Valleys (Salta, Northwest Argentina) and based on the use of ethnographic techniques. By taking as reference the concept of “developmental niche”, discourses and practices about childrearing and children’s health care (guaguas) are characterized in the context of subsistence activities at the domestic scope. Moreover, transformations of theses discourses through generations and their articulations and tensions with different knowledge and institutional practices are deepened.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Grow a child (Mita ñemongakuaa): health care of children and changes in the Mbya reko

Mitã ñemongakuaa es la expresión en lengua Mbya que se utiliza para hacer referencia a la crianza y significa literalmente “hacer crecer un niño”. En este trabajo presentamos algunos resultados de una investigación etnográfica en comunidades Mbya de Argentina, orientada a caracterizar las representaciones y prácticas en torno a la crianza de los niños entre 0 y 2 años, basada en la aplicación de técnicas cualitativas. En primer lugar, describimos y analizamos las condiciones que en el presente hacen posible la emergencia de la enfermedad en los niños pequeños desde la perspectiva Mbya. En segundo lugar, describimos estas enfermedades y los criterios locales para su clasificación. En tercer lugar, caracterizamos las prácticas preventivas y terapéuticas desarrolladas por los miembros de estas comunidades, los criterios que intervienen en la elección y combinación de diferentes alternativas de tratamiento y los argumentos que las justifican. Hacia el final, analizamos y discutimos un conjunto de representaciones acerca de las condiciones de salud en el presente, a partir de los testimonios de hombres y mujeres de diferentes generaciones.Mitã ñemongakuaa is the Mbya language expression used to refer to rear practices; literally, it means “to make a child grow”. The aim of this article is to present the results of an ethnographic research developed on two Mbya communities from Argentina in order to characterize local practices and representations on little children rearing using qualitative techniques. First we describe and analyze, from the Mbya perspective, current conditions that make possible that children became ill. After that, we mention most usual childhood illness and local criteria applied to classify them. Thirdly, we characterize preventive and therapeutic practices performed by the community, as well as the criteria used to select, combine and justify therapeutic alternatives. Finally, and based on the testimonies of men and women of different generations, we analyze and discuss local representations on current health conditions.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse