Juan Bottasso Boetti (Poveragno, Italy, September 27, 1936 – Quito, Ecuador, December 27, 2019) was an Italian missionary, anthropologist, and prolific author. As a Salesian priest, he dedicated much of his life to working with Ecuador’s indigenous Shuar people, advocating for the preservation of their culture and identity. He founded Editorial Abya Yala, which became a major platform for publishing works on indigenous cultures and environmental issues in Latin America. Bottasso also established the Institute of Applied Anthropology and was known for his extensive writings on mission studies and indigenous rights, becoming a leading figure in Ecuadorian anthropology.
Early Life and Education
Juan Bottasso Boetti was born on September 27, 1936, in Poveragno, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy, near the mountainous border with France. He was the third of six children in a family shaped by the turmoil of World War II. His father, José Bottasso Dalmaso, was a small farmer, while his mother, Caterina Boetti Oggero, came from a more affluent mountainous family. In his early years, he learned Italian under the guidance of Ms. Rita Macagno, as the local dialect was a mix of Piedmontese and Occitan. His childhood was marked by the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini, and he grew up amidst war and instability, including German occupation following Italy’s 1943 armistice with the Allies.
In 1947, Bottasso was sent to the Valdocco College near Turin, a Salesian institution founded by Don Bosco. This marked the beginning of his formative years in a disciplined yet familiar environment. After graduating in 1952, he spent a year in the novitiate of Monte Olivetto in Pinerolo before moving to Foglizzo, near Turin, to study Latin and Greek, laying the foundation for his humanistic education.
Missionary Calling and Early Career
Bottasso’s interest in the wider world was sparked by tales from Father José Corzo about the marvels of Ecuador. Motivated by a sense of adventure, he expressed a desire to join the missions, despite his youth. Between 1956 and 1959, he taught at Salesian schools in Chieri and Crineo, before finally embarking on his long-awaited journey to South America.
Upon his arrival in Ecuador, he briefly worked at the Salesian Technical College in Cuenca before moving to Bogotá, Colombia, to study theology. His work increasingly involved visits to Ecuador, particularly its eastern missions, where he engaged with indigenous communities. On September 15, 1963, Bottasso was ordained in Bogotá by Monsignor Valderrama. Soon after, he was assigned to the Salesian missions in Sucúa, Ecuador, where he helped establish the Federation of the Shuar Center, working closely with indigenous communities.
Advanced Studies and Anthropological Work
In 1966, Bottasso returned to Europe to study missiology, an interdisciplinary field blending anthropology and theology, at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He earned a licentiate in this area, and from 1968 to 1971, worked in the impoverished area of Méndez, Ecuador, focusing on missionary work in a region affected by mining and unsuitable for agriculture.
By 1971, Bottasso was appointed a professor of theology at the Catholic University of Quito. This role allowed him to connect with Ecuadorian youth during a time of social change, influenced by the student revolts in Paris in 1969. His extroverted and humble nature made him popular among students, and during this period, he began publishing articles on ecclesiastical and contemporary issues.
Founding of Abya Yala and Contributions to Indigenous Studies
In the mid-1970s, Bottasso shifted his focus to the anthropological aspects of his mission work, advocating for respect for indigenous cultures and identities. He began a comprehensive plan for the Shuar people, emphasizing a new approach to missionary work that respected their culture rather than imposing Western norms.
In 1983, Bottasso founded Editorial Abya Yala, named after a term used by the Kuna people of Panama to refer to “the whole land.” The publishing house became a platform for disseminating knowledge about Ecuador’s indigenous populations, printing over 480 books and pamphlets by the early 1990s. Abya Yala specialized in ecological, linguistic, ethnographic, and historical topics, aimed at both indigenous communities and the broader Ecuadorian public.
In 1987, he established the Institute of Applied Anthropology, linked to the Universidad Técnica de Loja. The institute, with affiliates in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Guatemala, was instrumental in expanding anthropological studies in Latin America.
Literary Contributions and Thought Leadership
Bottasso was a prolific writer and editor. His works focused on the relationship between missionaries and indigenous cultures, advocating for a more respectful and culturally sensitive approach to mission work. Some of his notable publications include “El precio de la supervivencia: Los Shuar” (1981), “Artesanías y técnicas Shuar” (1982), and “La Iglesia y los indios: 500 años de diálogo o de agresión” (1989). He also founded the quarterly journal “Iglesias, Pueblos y Culturas” in 1986.
In his writings, Bottasso critiqued traditional missionary approaches that sought to assimilate indigenous people into mainstream society, arguing instead for the preservation of their cultures, languages, and traditions.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1991, Bottasso was appointed director of the Salesian Institute in Quito, while continuing to lead Editorial Abya Yala. His impact on the field of anthropology, particularly in Ecuador, is widely acknowledged. Through his extensive publications and institutions like the Editorial and the Institute of Applied Anthropology, Bottasso ensured that indigenous voices and perspectives were respected and heard.
Juan Bottasso passed away in December 2019, leaving behind a legacy as one of Ecuador’s most important public intellectuals in the fields of anthropology and mission studies. His tireless work in documenting and preserving the cultures of Ecuador’s indigenous peoples continues to influence scholars and policymakers today. His life was marked by his humility, his deep respect for indigenous cultures, and his unwavering commitment to social justice.
Selected Works
- “¿Habrá todavía que construir iglesias?” (1974)
- “Lettere latino-americano” (1974)
- “El hombre no se basta solo” (1978)
- “Un pasado en que hay que meditar” (1978)
- “Los Shuar se salvan juntos o no se salvan” (1978)
- “Bibliografía general de la nación Jíbara” (1978)
- “¿Qué es Mundo Shuar?” (1979)
- “El precio de la supervivencia: Los Shuar” (1981)
- “Artesanías y técnicas Shuar” (1982, co-authored with César Biachi)
- “Las Misiones en el Ecuador, retos y perspectivas” (1982)
- “Del indigenismo a las organizaciones indígenas” (1985)
- “Cristianismo y religiones indígenas” (1986)
- “América Latina tra rabbia e speranza” (1986)
- “Las nacionalidades indígenas, el estado y misiones en el Ecuador” (1986)
- “Las religiones amerindias” (1988)
- “La Iglesia y los indios: 500 años de diálogo o de agresión” (1989)
- “Cristianismo y religiones indígenas” (1990)
- “Los Salesianos y los Shuar” (1980, 2003 editions)
- “El mito en los pueblos indios de América: actualidad y pervivencia” (1992)
- “Reflexiones sobre la evangelización de América Latina” (1999)
- “La transformación viene de fuera” (2011)
- “Las identidades en un mundo globalizado” (2011)
- “El diario de Yankuam” (Tomo 1-3) (2018)
- “Minorías y democracia en el Ecuador” (2007)
References
- Rodolfo Pérez Pimentel, “Bottasso Boetti, Juan.” Retrieved on October 14, 2024. Click to view
- Lux Collections, “Nota sobre Juan Bottasso Boetti, SDB (1926-2019).” Retrieved on October 14, 2024. Click to view
- Goodreads, “La transformación viene de fuera.” Retrieved on October 14, 2024. Click to view
- Goodreads, “Las identidades de un mundo globalizado.” Retrieved on October 14, 2024. Click to view
- Google Books, “Los salesianos y la lengua de los Shuar.” Retrieved on October 14, 2024. Click to view
- Google Books, “Misiones, pueblos indígenas y la conformación de la Región Amazónica.” Retrieved on October 14, 2024. Click to view