La 'función' de 1796 y la matanza de Mbayás en Concepción, frontera norte paraguaya

the paper focuses on the "function of may 15th, 1796", taking place in the north frontier of the gobernación intendencia de paraguay, in a situation of permanent conflict, whose consequences transcended the local sphere. in concepción the condition of ethnic and militarized frontier shaped the existence of a community membership but, at the same time, created favorable spaces for violence. which were the sources of conflict in this social space? were they access to land, policies towards the indians, agreements with the command, smuggling, rivalry among families and political adherence? we will focus on these questions when analyzing this particular case, taking into account recent contributions on frontier societies. to this end, we will point out their causes and analyze their nature, considering the role of the state and looking for the links between violence and society from the initial framework to the ethnologizing impulse of facing "the others".