Reductions (Paraguayan)

Reductions in Paraguay refer to historical settlements established during the colonial period where Jesuit priests gathered indigenous people in organized communities. These reductions aimed to protect indigenous populations from slavery and exploitation, while also converting them to Christianity and teaching them European agricultural and crafts techniques. They functioned as self-sufficient communities with their own social, religious, and economic systems. After the Jesuits were expelled in the 18th century, these reductions declined, but they remain significant as cultural and historical sites illustrating a unique blend of indigenous and European influences.