Photo Gallery

Guardamonte - The landscapes in Northwest Argentina are more mountainous and the vegetation is harsher than in the pampas. To deal with prickles and thorns, the gaucho equips his horse with a double layer of rigid, resistant leather called guardamonte, which gives him the appearance of a medieval warrior. (Campo Alegre, Province of Salta).

In Salta in northwest Argentina, the Spanish colonial style is still omnipresent, even though one of the decisive movements of the Argentine War of Liberation, the Gaucho Uprising, broke out here around 1810. Martin Miguel de Güemes, the leader of the rebellious gauchos, lives on in all hearts here, and the anniversary of his death (17 June 1821) sees all the gauchos of the surrounding area in red poncho (with the black ribbon of mourning), adventurously deformed sombrero and sweeping guardamontes. - 1973

In Salta in northwest Argentina, the Spanish colonial style is still omnipresent, even though one of the decisive movements of the Argentine War of Liberation, the Gaucho Uprising, broke out here around 1810. Martin Miguel de Güemes, the leader of the rebellious gauchos, lives on in all hearts here, and the anniversary of his death (17 June 1821) sees all the gauchos of the surrounding area in red poncho (with the black ribbon of mourning), adventurously deformed sombrero and sweeping guardamontes. - 1973

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Gauchos from the Salta region, taken on 17 June 1973 during the celebrations for the anniversary of the death of Martin Miguel de Güemes.

Gauchos from the Salta region, taken on 17 June 1973 during the celebrations for the anniversary of the death of Martin Miguel de Güemes.

Chacho Royo, a skilled rider with mighty guardamontes on either side, is seventy-five years old, fifteen of whom lie in mysterious darkness. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Salta. - 1975

Arturo Fernandez, with mighty guardamontes on either side, has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1973

Chacho Royo is one of the best gauchos in the Salta area and could demonstrate a lot of the younger ones in the campo. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Arturo Fernandez, with mighty guardamontes on either side, has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

In the morning it goes out to the herd again ... - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1973

Arturo Fernandez, with mighty guardamontes on either side, has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975