Birds in the narratives of the inhabitants of northern Córdoba: alternative ways of thinking about the augural values of birds

Abstract

We analyzed contemporary oral narratives about birds collected among rural inhabitants of northern Córdoba in order to discuss alternative ways of interpreting human–bird relationships. A total of 150 stories were analyzed in terms of their typology, representativeness, ecological and social aspects expressed in them and functionality, as well as the utilitarian value of the species. In addition, we analyzed alternative ways of interpreting and classifying the augural role of birds. We propose that the narrative shows animistic traits (continuity between animals and humans) according to which the augural role of birds can be interpreted as a non-verbal communicative vestige between humans and avifauna. The mentioned birds (29 species) were grouped into 15 taxonomic orders and 22 families. The narratives classified as knowledge/practices made up 79.3% of the total of the non-narrative stories, while 19.5% corresponded to narrative stories. Ethological knowledges were among the best represented. Non-narrative stories referred to ecological knowledge about birds and practices related to their use as food. Myths, legends and anecdotes were the best represented narrative stories and, in general, they worked as transmitters of norms of social behaviours. The “ornithoauguries” can be explained as the interpretation of ecological knowledge of birds, as the elucidation of an intraspecific zoosemiotic message recoded by humans, or as an intersubjective communication between beings, as it happens in indigenous societies. Finally, we discuss the interpretation of these auguries in mestizo societies such as the creoles of northern Córdoba, which have indigenous and European influences.