Colonial Kinship: Guaraní, Spaniards, and Africans in Paraguay by Shawn Michael Austin

A groundbreaking analysis reveals how Guaraní kinship structures shaped colonial Paraguayan society, challenging traditional narratives of Spanish-Guarani relations. Shawn Michael Austin's work demonstrates that ethnic soldiering emerged with early Spanish expeditions into the Chaco region, predating Jesuit-led efforts to combat Indian slavery. By leveraging 350 underutilized judicial records and archival documents—including rare testimonies from the Guaraní—Austin illustrates how the term 'mborayhu' (loving) encapsulated reciprocal benefits between Native peoples and their encomenderos, fostering a sense of community. The study also highlights the significant role of African slaves in colonial society, with Africans comprising 15% of Asunción’s population by 1682, though it notes gaps in church records that could have further illuminated interethnic ties.

Ganson, B. A. (2022). Colonial Kinship: Guaraní, Spaniards, and Africans in Paraguay by Shawn Michael Austin. The Catholic Historical Review, 108(3), 620–621. https://doi.org/10.1353/cat.2022.0079