The gift of speech - Approach to the verbal art of the Guarani in Bolivia and Argentina

Oratory plays a fundamental role among the Guarani Indians of South America. Since precolonial times orators held positions of respect and authority. Through their discourse, orators convey culturally embedded messages which transmit the history, myths, and cultural values of their societies. This paper compares the role of orators, both political and religious, and the production of discourse among two Guarani speaking groups: the Mbya Guarani Indians of Argentina and the Izoceno of Bolivia. We approach oratory as part of a performance which cannot be isolated from the context in which it is produced.