Hugo Rueda (SSOM, McGill), "Taxonomical Clashes. Indigenous Material Culture in the Natural History Museum of Chile during the 19th century"
My presentation analyzes the role of museum practices in the nation-state building process in Chile during the nineteenth century, highlighting their contribution to the symbolic annihilation of local indigenous communities. It argues that the National Museum of Chile reinforced the republican project of internal colonization by collecting, classifying, and exhibiting indigenous material culture under the taxonomical category of "Chilean Antiquities." To corroborate this idea, it demonstrates that the allegedly “ancient” nature of these materials is not an inherent condition but rather the result of political and intellectual maneuvers where the Museum had an active participation. During the second half of the century, Indigenous artifacts were curated to represent subjects relegated to a bygone era—simultaneously framed as “ancient,” “curious,” “monstrous,” and yet distinctly “Chilean.” By uncovering these practices, this work not only validates its hypothesis but also interrogates the enduring influence of 19th-century museum practices on contemporary Chilean institutions.