Doctrinas de Guaranies

The "Doctrinas de Guaranies" refers to the mission towns established by the Jesuits in the 17th century in eastern Paraguay among the Guaraní people. These missions, known as reducciones, eventually grew into about 30 large and successful towns, forming the "Jesuit Utopia".1

The Guaraní are a South American indigenous group primarily residing in Paraguay, with smaller populations in Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. They speak a Tupian language also called Guaraní, which is an official language of Paraguay alongside Spanish. Historically, the aboriginal Guaraní lived a slash-and-burn agricultural lifestyle, relocating their settlements every five to six years. They were known to be warlike.1

In the 17th century, the Jesuit missions aimed to organize and convert the Guaraní. However, the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767 led to the dispersal of the mission Indians, often resulting in their enslavement and the confiscation of their land. Despite significant cultural assimilation, the Guaraní language has largely survived and is spoken by many in Paraguay today.1