Estructuras y paisajes en el fin del mundo: implicaciones arqueológicas y antropológicas sobre el emplazamiento de sitios mediante el análisis de fotografías de pueblos originarios fueguinos (circa 1880-1970)

Abstract

En este trabajo analizamos un corpus de 288 fotografías etnográficas de indígenas de Tierra del Fuego producidas por 46 fotógrafos/as que recorrieron esta región entre ca.1880 y 1970. Analizamos 147 fotografías de Shelk´nam, 95 de Yámana/Yagán y 46 de Alakaluf/Kawésqar, a fin de evaluar los vínculos entre las estructuras y los paisajes donde se emplazan. Nos interesa analizar: a) la coexistencia entre estructuras, para discutir las formas de habitar el espacio mediante emplazamientos simultáneos, b) la asociación estructura-paisaje, ya que el registro fotográfico provee información arqueológica relevante acerca de las decisiones de emplazamiento de las estructuras, que podrían convertirse en sitios arqueológicos y c) la existencia de solapamientos o diferenciaciones espaciales en los emplazamientos de las estructuras nativas y las occidentales. Así, discutimos las formas de construir paisajes y habitar el mundo de los pueblos originarios fueguinos y sus modificaciones durante el proceso de contacto.

In this paper we analyse a corpus of 288 ethnographic photographs of Fueguian Indigenous societies produced by 46 photographers who travelled along the region from the end of 19th century to mid-20th century with the aim of identifying and assessing the links between the structures and the landscapes in which these were located. Following a “visual archaeology” method, the structures and landscapes found in 147 photographs of Shelk’nam, 95 of Yamana/Yagan and 46 of Alakaluf/ Kaweskar are systematically studied. We are interested in analysing: a) the coexistence –or lack of coexistence– between structures, with the aim of finding indicators of modes of use of space via the simultaneous location of two or more structures; b) the implications of the structure-landscape association, since the photographic record can provide information of archaeological relevance to learn about structure location choices, which, after their abandonment, may have formed part of archaeological sites. In turn, we also analyse whether there existed spatial overlaps or separations between Indigenous traditional structures and new Western structures which, as part of the Argentinean and Chilean state expansion, started to occupy these Indigenous territories. The information is discussed with the aim of shedding new light on the modes of landscape construction and living in the world developed by the Fuegian Indigenous societies and their changes during the contact process, some of which can be inferred through an archaeological gaze of this photographic corpus.