What was Patagonia like in the 60s?

Our hands got cold from the cold we felt as we crossed the mountains of Patagonia. Days and weeks to reach port through the pampas and bordering the Chilean territory. Making Homeland, defending land, telling the world that this is Chile.

Claudio Rosso is a writer and I would dare to say that he owns a large part of this land because he has dedicated his life to deepening the culture of Patagonia and keeping traditions alive.

In a conversation we had with him, he explained that Chilean Patagonia - Carretera Austral - was formed by people who came from Argentina and from Chiloé. Therefore, the Aysén Region received influence from both territories that came directly from the Spanish.

"Here we drink a lot of mate because it reflects the calm and quiet of Patagonia." Mate is a drink that serves not only to enter the heat, but to chat and share a time with friends and family. The family is the nucleus of Patagonia and represents the most intimate space of a person.

To protect themselves from the cold and the rain, the men who went out to ride used the famous Patagonian cloak which is a garment made of fox and / or guanaco skins. This blanket protected the man's body from the neck to the knees falling towards the horse to protect it too.

The beret comes from the Basque country and covers the top of the head. They also use pants that are wide gabardine pants with a button to put them in the boots without problems.

That's how you lived in Patagonia. Thus they defended our territory and made a homeland. They raised flags, sang the national anthem and danced the chamamé a thousand times ...