Paraguayan Argentines ( es, paraguayos-argentinos; gn, 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 in around 325,000. 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

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 (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed Ethnic groups in Europe, European and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also r ...

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 A viceroyalty was an entity headed by a viceroy. It dates back to the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the sixteenth century. France *Viceroyalty of New France Portuguese Empire In the scope of the Portuguese Empire, the term " Viceroyalty ...

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 in Paraguay but it did not acquire importance before 1970. For many economic reasons (Paraguay being an impoverished country) and political reasons (

Stroessner Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda (; 3 November 1912 – 16 August 2006) was a Paraguayan Officer (armed forces), army officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay from 15 August 1954 to 3 February 1989. Stroessner led a 1954 Paraguay ...

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.

Distribution

According to the , the distribution of Paraguayan-born residents in Argentina is not evenly spread throughout Argentina's territory: Buenos Aires and the

Buenos Aires Province Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...

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 Misiones (, ''Missions'') is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes P ...

, Corrientes,

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...

, Santa Fe, Córdoba and Chaco, which are near the Argentina–Paraguay border. The 10% left is spread throughout the rest of the provinces.

Traditions

Some cultural elements shared by Argentina and Paraguay include the consumption of Yerba Mate (''Ilex paraguayensis'') in the form of

mate Mate may refer to: Science * Mate, one of a pair of animals involved in: ** Mate choice, intersexual selection ** Mating * Multi-antimicrobial extrusion protein, or MATE, an efflux transporter family of proteins Person or title * Friendship ...

, a traditional infused drink with hot water claimed by Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay as the national drink, as well as

Tereré (of Guaraní origin) is an infusion of (botanical name ''Ilex paraguariensis'') prepared with cold water, a lot of ice and pohá ñaná (medicinal herbs), and in a slightly larger vessel. This infusion has its roots in Pre-Columbian America, w ...

, 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 Guaraní (), specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guarani ( "the people's language"), is a South American language that belongs to the Tupi–Guarani family of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of P ...

, 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 El Paranacito, also Villa Paranacito, is a village and municipality in Argentina located in the department of San Fernando in the southeast of Chaco. It is named after the arm of the Paraná River on which it is located. Tourism The river att ...

Salta

Aguaray Yariguarenda Yacuy El Aguay Acambuco Itangua Tobantirenda Capiazuti

Santa Fe

Tacuarendí ("sugarcane fields") El Arazá Caraguatay Aguará Grande Ñanducita ("small spider") Tacural ("anthills")

Vera Vera may refer to: Names *Vera (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) *Vera (given name), a given name (including a list of people and fictional characters with the name) **Vera (), archbishop of the archdiocese of Tarrag ...

("shiny") Carcarañá ("mean caracara")

Santiago del Estero

Añatuya Añatuya is a city in the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. It has 23,286 inhabitants as per the , and is the head town of the General Taboada Department. It lies on the southeast of the province, east of the Salado River, and about 15 ...

Caburé Urutaú

Tucumán

'' Tukumã'' Tapia ("wall") El Timbo

Formosa

Pirané Pirané is a settlement in northern Argentina. It is located in Formosa Province. Overview Located on land bordering a number of lagoons, and known by the Toba people, Tobas as "Puganagay" (green fields), the initial settlement developed with the ...

("smelly fish") Ibarreta Yatai Tatané

Entre Ríos

Gualeguay Paraná Mandisoví Villaguay Ubajay Gualeguaychú Chajarí Ñancay Ibicuy

Buenos Aires Province

Pehuajó Pehuajó () is a city in the Pehuajó Partido (Pehuajó district) in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The partido has about 38,400 inhabitants as per the . The name of this relatively small city is well known in Argentina because of Marí ...

, Reta "''retã"'' ("country or nation"),

Mar de Ajó Mar de Ajó is a coastal city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, and is located in the southern end of the seaside La Costa Partido (the Coast District). The region is known as the Tuju Corner (Rincón del Tuyú). Etymology It owes its name to ...

Mar del Tuyú Mar del Tuyú is a resort town and administrative seat of La Costa Partido, on the Argentine Atlantic Coast, with access to Provincial Route 11. Overview According to INDEC, the population of Mar del Tuyú was 6,916 in 2001, including (Costa ...

San Bernardo del Tuyú San Bernardo del Tuyú is a city in the seaside La Costa District of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. History and overview Founded by the ''Compañía Inmobiliara del Este Argentino S.R.L.'', a partnership of ten investors led by Juan C ...

, Ituzaingó ("waterfall")

Rivers

Paraná Paraguay ("colorful water") Uruguay ("water of the

birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

") Carapari Gualeguay Gualeguaychú Guayquiraró Rivers of the Paraná Delta Ibicuy

Notable Paraguayan Argentines

Politicians

Aníbal Ibarra Aníbal Ibarra (born March 1, 1958) is an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Buenos Aires. Biography Ibarra was born in Lomas de Zamora, a district located in the southern region of Greater Buenos Aires. His father was a P ...

(born 1958), former mayor of Buenos Aires * Vilma Ibarra (born 1960), former congresswoman

Arts and culture

Arnaldo André Arnaldo André (born November 12, 1943) is a Paraguayan actor for soap-operas. He spent most of his career in Argentina, where he has been active since 1964. He earned a Martín Fierro award in 2010, and his most recent work was in the ''Los úni ...

(born 1943), actor *

Julio Bazan Julio Bazan is an Argentine journalist who works for the Clarín newspaper and its cable channel, TN "Todo Noticias". Award Nomination * 2013 Martín Fierro Awards- Best news reporter A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers info ...

(born 1946), journalist *

Gabriel Casaccia Gabriel Casaccia Bibolini (April 20, 1907 – November 24, 1980) was a Paraguayan novelist. He is considered the father of modern Paraguayan literature. Augusto Roa Bastos, another notable Paraguayan novelist, is quoted as saying “Gabriel C ...

(1907–1980), novelist * Florencia de la V (born 1975), television presenter and vedette * Mariana Enríquez (born 1973), novelist and short story writer *

Eloy Fariña Núñez Eloy Fariña Núñez (July 25, 1885 – Jan. 3, 1929) was a Paraguayan writer. Born in the small town of Humaitá, he moved to neighboring Argentina as a boy and lived there until his death at 43. His works, such as the poem ''Canto Secular'', of ...

(1885–1929), writer *

Pablo Lescano Pablo Lescano (Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 8, 1977) is an Argentine singer, composer, keyboardist, and leader of ''Cumbia villera'' group Damas Gratis from 2000. He is considered by many as the founder of the Cumbia villera sub-genre. Bio ...

(born 1977), cumbia villera musician * Ángel Menchaca (1855–1924), music theorist and composer * Nelly Prono (1926–1997), actress

Sportspeople

Roberto Acuña Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello (; born 25 March 1972) is a Paraguayan former footballer. Nicknamed ''El Toro'' (bull) due to his strength and dominating presence, he operated mainly as a central midfielder. He spent several years as a professio ...

(born 1972), footballer * Lucas Barrios (born 1984), footballer *

Raúl Bobadilla Raúl Marcelo Bobadilla (born 18 June 1987) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Turkish club Bandırmaspor. Born in Argentina, he plays for the Paraguay national team. Career Early career Bobadilla originally started out at ...

(born 1987), footballer * Juan José Cáceres (born 2000), footballer *

Marcelo Cañete Marcelo Cañete (born 16 April 1990) is an Argentine-Paraguayan footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Santiago Wanderers in the Primera División. Career Cañete started his professional career with Boca Juniors, debuting with th ...

(born 1990), footballer * Darío Espínola (born 1973), footballer *

Luis Fariña Luis Carlos Fariña Olivera (born 20 April 1991) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Paraguayan Primera División club Club Guaraní. Club career Born in Buenos Aires, Fariña graduated from Racing ...

(born 1991), footballer * Nicole Hain (born 2000), futsal player *

Juan Iturbe Juan Manuel Iturbe Arévalo (born 4 June 1993) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Greek Super League club Aris and the Paraguay national team. Iturbe represented the Paraguay national team in a friendly match ...

(born 1993), footballer * Hilario Navarro (born 1980), footballer * Leandro Paredes (born 1994), footballer and

2022 World Cup The 2022 FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of FIFA's member associations. The 22nd FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022; it is the first Wo ...

champion for Argentina * Jonathan Santana (born 1981), footballer

References

External links

{{Immigration to Argentina Immigration to Argentina Ethnic groups in Argentina Argentina