“Mahoma Paradise”, land of slaves:

the Guarani Indigenous labor at the initial stage of the Conquest. Paraguay and Rio de la Plata (1541-1556)

Abstract

This research analyzes the first stage of the colonization of Paraguay, considering the problematic of the categories of labor attributed to the Guarani peoples. Therefore, the theoretical and methodological supports are based on the dialogues between History, Anthropology and the recent debates on the history of law, focusing on the sources for the protagonism of the Indians in this historical process. In the mid-sixteenth century there were legislations of generalizing and localized perspectives, directed to the native populations that were built in concrete situations. In this article we used diversified sources, especially the notes of Asuncion's cabildo and the main chronicles and reports of the first conquerors and travelers who visited Paraguay.