Abstract

SUAREZ, María Eugenia  and  ARENAS, Pastor. Plantas y hongos tintóreos de los wichís del Gran Chaco. Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. [online]. 2012, vol.47, n.1-2, pp.275-283. ISSN 1851-2372.

Dye plants and fungi among the Wichí people of the Gran Chaco. This paper presents the results of an ethnobotanical investigation into plant and fungal dyes used by the Wichí people of the Semiarid Chaco. Fieldwork was carried out with occasional and key informants, both men and women, in several locations of Salta and Formosa provinces in Argentina. Moreover, a detailed examination of the bibliography on the topic was conducted. Twenty-four plant species and two fungi that are used for coloring textile products made from cháguar fibers (Bromelia hieronymi and B. urbaniana) were found. Information and details on the vernacular names of the species, the parts that are used, the dying technique and the colors obtained are provided. The total number of dye plants found is high compared with the ones cited among other Chaco ethnic groups, and records were made of species that had not previously been mentioned among the Wichí people as being used for dyes.

Keywords : Plant dyes; Ethnobotany; Economic botany; Textile art; Argentina.

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