Paraguayan Argentines (Spanish: paraguayos-argentinos; Guarani: Paraguaiguakuéra Arahentínape) are Argentine citizens of full or partial Paraguayan descent or Paraguay-born people who reside in Argentina. Paraguayan people comprise an important ethnic group in the country due to the sustained immigration that gained importance in the 1970s. The number of people born in Paraguay living in Argentina has been estimated to be about 550,000.[1][2] Therefore, it is the largest foreign community in the country outnumbering individuals from Italy and Spain (countries which have been historically regarded as the origin of the backbone of Argentine society). It is also one of the fastest growing foreign nationalities. Despite all this, its numbers have been undercounted so it is believed that the real amount is even much higher.
History
Members of the Paraguayan community in Oberá, Misiones at the "Fiesta Nacional del Inmigrante".
The North-Eastern provinces of Argentina were originally inhabited by Guarani tribes conforming with what is now Paraguay and several regions of Brazil the area of influence of Guarani culture. This influence can be seen nowadays in many common cultural features. However, the earliest presence of Paraguayans as an ethnic group can be traced back much later, to the second foundation (and the real permanent settlement) of the city of Buenos Aires by Juan de Garay who sailed down Parana River from Asuncion accompanied by local Mestizo and Guarani families. In addition, there have always been certain connections between the two countries during later periods of the Spanish rule, especially when the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata was created in 1776 which included several Intendencias, among them the Intendencia of Paraguay and Intendencia of Buenos Aires.
There has been Paraguayan presence in Argentine soil during and after the Paraguayan War and after the Revolution of 1947[3] in Paraguay but it did not acquire importance before 1970. For many economic reasons (Paraguay being an impoverished country) and political reasons (Stroessner dictatorship), Paraguayans started to settle in larger amounts throughout the wealthier neighbouring territory. Another fact was the porosity of Argentine borders and that the population density has always been disproportionally higher in the Eastern region (Argentine-Brazilian border) rather than the Western region or Chaco (Bolivian border).
Very different from other immigrant communities in Argentina (European and Middle-Eastern), Paraguayan entrance has been large (with insignificant return rate) and constant even to these days which makes up to 40 years of sustained immigration that does not seem to stop or decline in the future.
According to the 2010 census [INDEC], the distribution of Paraguayan-born residents in Argentina is not evenly spread throughout Argentina's territory: Buenos Aires and the Buenos Aires Province are the top destinations for Paraguayans. In addition, due to geographical proximity facilitating movement and cultural exchange, 40% of the Paraguayan-born community is settled in provinces of the Northeastern region of Argentina, namely Misiones, Corrientes, Formosa, Santa Fe, Córdoba and Chaco, which are near the Argentina–Paraguay border. The 10% left is spread throughout the rest of the provinces.[4]
Some elements of the Paraguayan cuisine that are not only appreciated by Paraguayan Argentines but also by all residents of Argentina; Mbeju, Reviro, Bori-Bori, Paraguayan Empanadas, Tereré, Chipa.
Some cultural elements shared by Argentina and Paraguay include the consumption of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguayensis) in the form of mate, a traditional infused drink with hot water claimed by Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay as the national drink, as well as Tereré, a traditional infused drink with cold water and Mate cocido, a traditional infused drink with hot water, both originally from Paraguay; Chamame, folk music genre with its origins in Guarani Jesuit Missions mixed with European styles, and the use of the Guaraní Language, which is the official language of Paraguay and second official language of the Argentine Corrientes Province since 24 September 2004.
Guarani placenames in Argentina
Corrientes
Ituzaingó
Curuzú Cuatiá
Caá Catí
Cerro Corá
Mburucuyá ("Passion flower" the National flower of Paraguay)
Mocoretá
Tabay ("small town")
Tapebicua
Tatacuá ("the hole of the fire")
Taragui
Yahapé
Yataytí Calle
Yapeyú
Itatí
Itá Ibaté ("tall stone")
Guaviraví
Vaca Cuá
Ita Corá
Aguay
Misiones
Oberá ("shiny")
Caa Yarí
Capiobí
Caraguatay
Garuhapé
Garuhapé-Mi
Garupá
Guaraní
Itacaruaré
Mbopicuá ("hole of the bat")
Panambí ("butterfly")
Pindapoy
Piray Kilómetro 18
Puerto Iguazú (Iguazú meaning "large water")
Puerto Piray (Piray meaning "small fish")
Tarumá
Tacuaruzú
Cuña-Pirú
Chaco
Samuhú ("Chorisia" a kind of subtropical tree)
Colonia Tacuarí
El Paranacito
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