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A bit of history- the
native population :
Man's
existence in America and Patagonia is contemporary compared
to other places on Earth. The most ancient indicators of
primitive cultures have been found in the Magellan region,
Tierra del Fuego and the extreme south of the continent,
which date back to over 10000 years B.C.
On the one
hand, there are the indigenous canoe natives, the
alacalufes and yamanes of the canals, on the other hand, the
hunters on dry land, the onas in Tierra del Fuego and the
patagones or primitive tehuelches on the continent. Given
the nomadic nature of the Patagonian cultures, no remains of
dwelling places or of writings have been found, however
paintings and engravings abound. Both the Tehuelches in the
South and the Puelches of central Patagonia were of a tall and
robust stature.
They
survived by hunting guanaco and ñandú and by collecting wild
fruit. They sheltered in simple windshields and later in huts
made from guanaco hides. Only upon white man's introduction
of the horse in the XVII century. did they begin to use this
animal for transport and as a supplement to their diet.
In northern Patagonia there dwelled another ethnic group
known as the Pehuenches, less robust, slimmer and
somewhat more advanced. They would make a type of bread with
araucaria seeds, they would use snow racquets to walk through
the snow in and their basket making was well developed. Toward
the end of the XVII century a clear advance of the Araucano
or Mapuche Indian from Chile toward the east began and along
with this, a profound peaceful ethnic transformation
began to take shape in Eastern Patagonia.
The Mapuches
belonged to a more evolved, stronger and overbearing culture
and upheld a very courageous attitude in light of the Spanish
invaders. They produced weavings and ceramics of an
excellent quality, as well as a rich array of silverware. Their
language was very complete, characteristic of a people of
orators.
In 1879,
indigenous rule was brought to an end with the Desert Campaign,
with which the massive advance of the white man to northern
Patagonia began.
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