264 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I33 



The Argentine Araucanians at present speak of themselves vari- 

 ously as manzaneros (people who live where apples grow), and/or 

 as paisanos (indigenous people) from a specific area, such as Pilpil 

 or Trumpul, or as people belonging to the jurisdiction of a cacique. 

 All non- Araucanians are called huinka (non-Araucanian or Chris- 

 tian). Quoting Kolupan, "When we say we are manzaneros and you 

 are huinka, it is the same as saying people are French or German or 

 Swiss or English" (people who lived in the area and were known to 

 him). 



The Argentine Araucanians are decidedly more acculturated than 

 are the Chilean Araucanians. The impact of Argentine Government 

 regulations and impositions and the immediate contact with Argentine 

 ways of living have resulted in changes similar to those inflicted on 

 the American Indian through subjugation by the American Govern- 

 ment and the Indians' contact with Whites within our own recent 

 history. 



The largest number of Araucanians in Argentina — approximately 

 3,500 persons — live in territory Neuquen, the total population of 

 which is 84,378, according to the Argentine census of 1947. 



Culturally the Argentine Araucanians, in pre-Spanish days, were 

 hunters ; in post-Spanish days they raised sheep, cattle, and horses, 

 and to a small degree were interested in horticulture and agriculture, 

 which economic life has persisted until the present time. Linguistically 

 they belong to the Araucanian family, along with the Chilean Arau- 

 canians. 



PRENATAL FACTORS 



STERILITY AND FERTILITY 



No informant knew the Araucanian words for sterility, fertility, 

 or contraceptive devices. None could give any reason for sterility, 

 and no way of producing fertility was known. Nor were contraceptive 

 devices known. "We hear about them today. Those who have five or 

 six children want to go to Argentine doctors to get something so they 

 will have no more; they say these doctors know about this. I am 

 certain that no Araucanian could give them information on it. The 

 Araucanians wanted children ; they considered many children a bless- 

 ing." Ill health on the part of the woman was given as the only reason 

 for not having many children. "My daughter had one child and 

 regretted she had no more ; but she was never well after that first child 

 was born." 



