Gauchos of Argentina

He's a mysterious loner, wandering the open plains with an equine companion.

He lives off the land. He sleeps under the stars. He knows everything there is to know about horses and cattle. He likes to drink, hunt, dance, and woo women, but he'll never be tamed.

Why not? Because he answers to no one except himself (and that's the way he likes it).

Who is this intriguing figure? If you're imagining an old-west American cowboy, you're close. But the hero of our story lives much farther south, on the fertile plains of Argentina and Uruguay.

He's called a gaucho, and he's been romanticized in South America for hundreds of years.

What is a gaucho? How did their lifestyle develop? In this post, we'll dive into the fascinating world of gauchos, from their humble origins to their modern-day counterparts. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the gaucho—the myths, the legends, and the reality.

Regardless of where their name came from, certain traits of the gaucho are unmistakable. They were renowned for their horse riding skills and ability to work with cattle. They lived off the land—hunting, foraging, and drinking vast quantities of yerba mate.

Failed attempts to found Buenos Aires in 1536 left scores of horses and cattle wandering the fertile countryside. The first men resembling "gauchos" could tame a horse, hunt their own cattle, and generally live however they pleased.

Fast-forward to the year 1806. Governmental powers are shifting across Europe, sending powerful shock waves rippling through the Spanish empire. Argentina fights off a British invasion and sparks what will become a decade-long War for Independence.

Argentine forces often fought battles with the Spanish in rural areas, where they were outnumbered and outgunned. Nomadic men of mixed Spanish and Indian blood began assisting them, offering valuable insight into the land.

They worked mostly as guides and scouts, using their horsemanship skills to provide support to the troops. By the time the war ended in 1818, the "gaucho" was born in both legend
and namesake.

After the war ended, many gauchos migrated to the grassy, fertile Pampas region. Hunting and trading became their way of life, along with a rustic lifestyle of living off the land.

Some found work caring for cattle and performing odd jobs for estate (estancia) owners, although their overall lifestyle remained much the same.

Most gauchos lived in tiny mud huts with grass rooves. After a day of hunting or working on an estancia, the gaucho would come home to a bed of soft cattle hides. Their diet consisted mostly of beef, wine, and yerba mate (and we're pretty sure they would have been fans of yerba mate cocktails too).

Gauchos were the free spirits of the time, rarely legalizing their marriages (if they chose to marry at all). Many came from a Roman Catholic background, although their beliefs were often tinted by local superstitions. Their pastimes of choice included drinking, gambling, dancing, and playing the guitar.

As the 19th century drew to a close, gaucho culture began a slow and steady decline.

Private owners began acquiring livestock that had previously lived wild on the Pampas. Soon the land was fenced off into huge estates, leaving little room for wandering nomads.

The Industrial Revolution also sparked this shift, as many began to view the gaucho lifestyle as wild and uncivilized. With no more room to roam and fewer employment options, many gauchos were forced into the city.

Matero