La luna y la feminidad entre los tobas del oeste formoseño (Gran Chaco, Argentina)

This paper analyzes the meanings of the Toba cosmology regarding the association between women and the sky. It is described the symbolism and praxis in the relationship between the feminine universe and the mythical character portrayed by the Moon. In the narrative level, Moon is a male entity which conducts the mythological conformation of Toba woman. Regarding this point, the social mechanisms that contribute to the cultural conformation of women are analyzed. The analysis of this symbolic framework shows that, from the Toba point of view, women are dangerous entities, who display marked characteristics of liminality. This leads to the conclusion that the Toba society builds up a kind of femininity obedient to social requirements: insubordination and rule-breaking in everyday life may trigger a series of maladjustments, individual or collective, which can unchain even cosmic disorders