La Señalada de los Aróstica Rojas.

In January of this year, we traveled to the eastern area of the Copiapó valley following the path drawed by Mr. Hans Niemeyer in his fieldnotes. The intention was to survey the gorges that feed the Copiapó river, paying special attention to the archaeological sites and contemporary human settlements.

The tracks left by Mr. Hans allowed us to easily arrive to the house of their arriero guide and friend: Mr. Sixto Aróstica. From then on, we moved around the area listening carefully the voice of that old and warm wise man, who supported this troop of hungry vultures under the shade of his aged fig tree.

On the last day of our trip, we were invited to the señalada, when they mark the new cattle with an earcut, at Ojos de Agua of the Montosa. This visual ethnography gathers that experience, an unexpected entrance into the arriero´s world, a familiar moment, an invitation we still cannot fully repay.

Palabras Claves
muleteer
rural traditions
cattle marking.
Autor
César Borie. Licenciado en Arqueología, Universidad de Chile
Autor
Andrés Fortunato. Licenciado en Ingeniería en Sonido, UVIPRO
Autor
Gerardo Mora. Licenciado en Antropología Social, Universidad de Chile
Autor
Juan Solar. Licenciado en Antropología Social, Universidad de Chile
Recibido
Aceptado
Revista Chilena de Antropología Visual - número 7 - Santiago, junio 2006 - 114/135 pp. - ISSN 0718-876x. Rev. chil. antropol. vis.