At the end of the 19th century, the Paraguayan Chaco was home exclusively to Indigenous peoples. At that time, three linguistic families with ten tribal groups, also called ethnic groups, lived there. The central part of the Paraguayan Chaco was occupied by the Maskoy groups. These were subdivided into Lengua, Toba, Sanapaná, Angaité, and Guaná, all dialects of a common linguistic origin. South of the Maskoy, extending into the Argentine Chaco, lived the Mataco family, of which three groups—Nivaclé, Choroti, and Macá—inhabited the northern area of the Pilcomayo River. The northern Chaco was home to two groups of the Zamuco family: the Chamacoco and the Ayoreo (also called Moro).

Descendants of the Eastern Guaraní arrived after the Chaco War to settle near Mariscal Estigarribia and in Colonia Fernheim. Starting in 1936, Nivaclé groups periodically came to the colony to work in the harvest. Over time, they decided to stay and live there. They were followed by smaller groups from the Eastern Maskoy family, and later, by the Northern Ayoreo as well. Thus, the Paraguayan Chaco became a homeland for a multitude of ethnic groups, each with its own cultural nuances.