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).

The life of the gauchos is one of hard work, but also one marked by a liking for fun and celebration. Unlike celebrations in the Patagonian pampa, in north-western Argentina women always take part. This has undoubtedly been inherited from times of the Independence War, in which women played an important role. In the picture, Arturo und Marion Fernández are to be seen drinking mate at their finca in Campo Alegre, province of Salta.

A gaucho from the Campo Alegre estancia approaches us. He crosses the grassy plain of the province of Salta. The lasso and the guardamontes are made of leather. These last pieces protect the rider's legs from the thorny bushes that grow in this desert region of Argentina. His red woollen poncho shows a black band that was added by the weavers as a sign of mourning at the death of the caudillo Martin Miguel de Güemes, a native of the province of Salta. The bolas are hardly used today because of the accidents they caused, but they are present in the gaucho's saddle. - 1973

The "descornador" spends a day on his knees in the dust to remove the emerging horns of the calves with a chisel and hammer. The kid leather leggings are not asking too much ... - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

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

Reason, determination, good nature, violence and tenderness ... the whole breadth of human possibilities is reflected in the faces of this people. The racial differences are just as diverse: Chacho Royo, a gaucho from the Salta region. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Arturo Fernandez has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Salta - 1975

Arturo Fernandez has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Salta - 1973

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

Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta Two generations, one friendship. Arturo Fernandez has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. 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, 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 - 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

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

As a gaucho matrero, as a fugitive, Chacho Royo hid himself from the arm of the law in the Andes for fifteen years in his youth. Today he processes leather into bridles and saddles in his small estate, which he sells or gives to his friend Arturo. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Salta. - 1973

As a gaucho matrero, as a fugitive, Chacho Royo hid himself from the arm of the law in the Andes for fifteen years in his youth. Today he processes leather into bridles and saddles in his small estate, which he sells or gives to his friend Arturo. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Salta. - 1975

Dance of the "pañuelo" and vigil in the barn of Arturo Fernandez, in La Caldera. Father Requena, gaucho parish priest and rector of the University of Salta, joined the Chacho and Arturo. But, at sunrise, it's back to the pampas ... - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Arturo Fernandez and his wife during the mate ritual. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Vigil in the barn of Arturo Fernandez, in La Caldera. Father Requena, gaucho parish priest and rector of the University of Salta, joined the Chacho and Arturo. But, at sunrise, it's back to the pampas ... - Estancia Campo Alegre, Salta. - 1975

Vigil in the barn of Arturo Fernandez, in La Caldera. Father Requena, gaucho parish priest and rector of the University of Salta, joined the Chacho and Arturo. But, at sunrise, it's back to the pampas ... - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Chacho Royo during the Mate ritual. - 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

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

Arturo Fernandez has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - 1973

Various items that accompany the life of a gaucho, including a guitar and bombo. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Chacho Royo cuts strips of leather that he uses to make bridles and leather straps. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

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