“Pi’oxonaq son de Dios, Doctor son de Dios, Evangelio son de Dios”: Campo terapéutico e itinerarios de atención en los Tobas (Qom) del Departamento General Güemes, Chaco Argentina

The article presents a socioanthropological analysis of how the Toba (Qom) residents of the General Güemes Department, historically entwined with Christian missionization experiences, construct meanings and steer crucial actions concerning health amidst severe healthcare stress and environmental degradation. The study is structured around two main themes: health ethnoecology, intercultural healthcare, and experiences of care and illness; and the political and religious processes in Chaco indigenous communities. Through ethnographic inquiry, the study contextually examines three narratives that describe the paths individuals take to seek solutions for their health problems. Specifically, it explores: a) the historical and social development of local therapeutic practices, influenced by past Protestant Christian medical missions, which have shaped the values and practices of the Qom groups; and b) the diverse settings, individuals, specialists, and belief systems involved in the healthcare trajectories of native Qom people, which encompass indigenous medical traditions (such as shamanism and evangelio), traditional remedies (including self-treatment and criollo and syncretic healing practices, i.e., curanderism), and access to public healthcare services.