| Just as the cowboy was and is an integral part of the | | | | Spanish rule, the guacho came into his own. Used to |
| North American West, so the gaucho remains an | | | | spending long periods of time in the saddle, having |
| inextricable part of Argentine Patagonia. This vast | | | | developed excellent horsemanship and used to fending |
| area of flat land in the southern cone of South | | | | for himself, often alone with a hundred thousand cows, |
| America lends itself perfectly to the raising and herding | | | | the guachos were strong and fearless in battle and |
| of enormous herds of cattle and sheep. Hundreds of | | | | proved themselves again and again against the |
| thousands of heads of cattle, sources of beef and | | | | Spanish. |
| leather must be watched over and moved from place | | | | The original gaucho was easily recognized by his |
| to place as the seasons dictate. | | | | baggy trousers, an import from Europe, specifically |
| There are various theories about the origins of the | | | | Turkey, his long curved knife or facon, his horse and |
| word “gaucho” but the fact remains that it has | | | | his boleadoras, three hard balls of leather connected |
| denoted the Argentine version of a cowboy for at | | | | by long leather straps which he used to bring down |
| least a couple of hundred years. The gauchos, like | | | | runaway animals or during hunting. Often these were |
| their North American Cowboy counterpart, are a tough | | | | his only possessions and with them he carved out a |
| breed, used to long days in the saddle and living, at | | | | hard life on the vast flatlands of the Patagonian |
| least in part, off the land. Indeed, it is from their habit | | | | pampas. As was often the case with the North |
| of roasting beef and lamb over an open fire that the | | | | American cowboys, the gaucho developed a |
| Argentine tradition of asado has come from, a | | | | reputation for hardness, a sense of justice and great |
| barbecue on a rather larger scale. Due to their mixed | | | | courage, all highly important qualities when the majority |
| ancestry, the gaucho tends to mix features of both | | | | of your life is spent miles from any kind of civilization |
| native Americans and black slaves, as well as the | | | | and you must protect yourself and what you value at |
| poorer immigrants who flocked to the New World | | | | all times, with only the most basic tools and your own |
| from Spain after the conquest. | | | | strength of character. |
| The simple way of life of the Argentine gaucho has | | | | After the Spanish were evicted from the New World |
| given rise to various highly regarded culinary traditions, | | | | and just as they were becoming popular once more |
| such as the asado, for which people actually construct | | | | among the general populace for their behavior in battle, |
| special pits so as to be able to roast entire sheep over | | | | the gaucho declined and almost disappeared from |
| a huge bonfire without having to worry about their | | | | view altogether. However, since the vast herds of |
| houses catching fire. Chimichurri also comes from the | | | | cattle remained and by far the easiest and quickest |
| gauchos, a hot sauce very popular as an | | | | way to get around the land is on horseback, the |
| accompaniment to your asado. | | | | gaucho made a comeback and still exists today. You |
| Guachos haven’t always had the best of | | | | are unlikely to see him in the cities, but if you head out |
| reputations. There was a time when they were | | | | to the pampas, particularly any working estancia or |
| actually despised for their unfortunate habit of hunting | | | | ranch, you will see him in all his glory, usually astride a |
| indiscriminately on the plains and of slicing the tendons | | | | horse. Whether he is on horseback or not, he will |
| in animals’ hind legs to keep them from running | | | | move with a straight back and his head held high, |
| away. Since they had to travel light, just themselves | | | | completely aware of his importance to the ranch and |
| and their horse, they also developed a reputation for | | | | proud of his ability to do his job better than anyone |
| thievery and consequently became very unpopular. | | | | else. |
| However, when the colonies began to rebel against | | | | |