Capitalism and indigenous peoples: images of violence on the centenary of the Napalpí Massacre

Abstract

In the formation of capitalism in Argentina, various forms of exploitation and cruelty were deployed against indigenous populations. From ideological criticism and image analysis, in this article we address practices of housing and urban inclusion that are not perceived as violence but as a form of reparation for the cruelties of the past. During 2024, the 100th anniversary of the Napalpí massacre in the province of Chaco will be commemorated. The anniversary offers a framework for reflection on the metamorphosis of violence over time in that province. From that argument, we investigate an urbanization and housing policy in the Toba neighborhood in the city of Resistencia from a long-term perspective. From a materialist understanding, the contribution of the work explores the place of death, subordination and inequality as constitutive aspects of the link between capitalism and indigenous peoples. The work is part of a line of research on the ideological constructions of housing policies for indigenous peoples in the province of Chaco.