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Abstract :
[en] Nicolas del Techo’s Historia was printed by Hovius in Liège, in 1673. Written in Latin, it is known as the very first historical picture of Paraguay offered to the public. However, del Techo was not a historian, but rather a field missionary who had to turn away from pastoral work to devote himself to writing history. The redaction of the Historia mainly took two aims. In its manuscript version, it was part of the historiographical project decided by the Society of Jesus. In its printed version, it aimed to awaken the missionary vocation in Europe.
Among the numerous hardships described in the text, the raids of indigenous people stand out the most. They were organised for slavery purposes by Portuguese settlers coming from São Paulo, strangely called Mameluks. In his accounts of these armed conflicts, del Techo contrasts the indigenous virtus with the brutality or the subversion strategies of the so-called Mameluks. He also underlines the role of “protectors” played by Jesuits there. As a result, each mission has the value of a fortress built against slavery practices.
From here on, we will analyse (anti-)slavery elements present in the text of del Techo’s Historia in order to recruit new well-suited missionaries. In this perspective, we will question the accounts of raids as a rhetorical strategy. Particular attention will be paid to the specific terms used to designate slavery practices. Finally, we will examine the contrasting situation of enslaved Africans in Paraguay. Whether they are not disregarded by del Techo, they are systematically pushed into the background.
