WHILE IN the last couple of decades many gauchos have been adapting their lifestyle to modernity, they remain loyal to their traditions of guarding the land.
By ITSIK MAROMTrying to chase a threatening puma away from the ranch area(photo credit: ITSIK MAROM)
Gauchos, the cowboys of Patagonia, are known to be tough and relentless. Patagonia is located in the lower tip of South America and is shared by Argentina and Chile. This land drives out the weak, and some say that it fits only the toughest.In the 17th century, when countless cattle roamed the pampas (flatlands) of north Patagonia, the nomads of this land rode unencumbered. They were half Spanish and half native Indians.The name “gaucho” was given to them in the 19th century. Back then, cattle were needed in the rest of the world, especially in Europe. The gauchos hunted and skinned the cattle for leather products and food. In return, they were able to obtain supplies for outdoor survival, which included tobacco, tea and sugar.As their numbers dwindled, the gauchos became legendary. Songs were written about them and they enjoyed a national level of reputation alongside the tango and asado (referring to the famous manner of preparing meat in the continent).At the end of the 19th century, Gen.Julio Argentino Roca unilaterally divided south Patagonia among landlords.This created giant estancias – cattle and sheep ranches – spread across vast areas.The gauchos of the south were hired for their skills and experience to work in the cattle industry.In addition, the ranchers, who saw the wildlife as usurpers of their grass, ordered the gauchos to hunt and eliminate this competition against their grass-eating livestock. While this sealed the fate of predatory wildlife in general, the puma and fox, which would prey on calves and sheep, were especially affected. To this day, some gauchos will kill pumas to protect the herds of their employers.Along for the lonely ride of the gaucho are his three important friends: his dog, his horse and his trusted knife.Over the years as the human population expanded, the wild areas of Patagonia were purchased legally (and sometimes illegally) by farmers and ranch holders. The gauchos were needed for their talents to work on the giant farms and ranches. While some of the newly hired gauchos got a taste of the good, steady life and decided to rejoin civilization, most did not want to or were unable to give up their way of life.As a result, they kept their traditional three friends and added the gun for protection.While in the last couple of decades many gauchos have been adapting their lifestyle to modernity, they remain loyal to their long-standing traditions of guarding the land. Some have transitioned from the complete outdoor life to become ranch guards in the vast wilderness of Tierra del Fuego.One of these “new” gauchos is Sandoval, who greeted us with a big smile and a welcome message that it was good we visited now because he was unsure where he might be two years from now.Sandoval showed us his humble room which consisted of nothing more than a bed, a closet, a broken mirror, matches and a gun in the drawer, just in case a puma comes to forage for food.In basic Spanish, Sandoval said that it is very rare to speak to another human being during the southern hemisphere winter, when all the workers of the ranch leave for the north to spend the cold winter in the big cities, leaving behind lone gaucho guards to take care of the abandoned ranch. In summertime, many social activities compensate for the winter, and the loneliness is forgotten for a time, he explained.The friendly gaucho said he would never leave for the big city and would proudly end his time on the land as a rider. The future, he said, is unknown, but he has seen some new gauchos around and trusts that the legendary name of the profession will prevail for many more years.
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