A view of the Rio Baker near the town of Cochrane, in the Chilean Patagonia region, some 1600 km (994 miles) south of SantiagoPosted on 12/10/2008 1:05:24 PM PST by BGHater
Hawking sea lion skin souvenir canoes at one of South America's most remote outposts, Francisco Arroyo is among the last members of a Patagonian tribe staring down the barrel of extinction.
The elderly Arroyo recalls wending the icy channels and fjords of southern Chile's Patagonia region with his father as a boy, tending a fire lit on dried earth on the bottom of their canoe and diving naked for giant mussels to survive.
With only an estimated 12-20 pure-blooded members of his nomadic Kawesqar tribe surviving, most of them elderly, another of the far-flung region's tribes will soon disappear.
"It ends with our generation," Arroyo said, huddling against chill wind and spitting rain in a polar fleece and hat on a wooden walkway that skirts the tiny fishing port of Puerto Eden on an island around 1,300 miles south of the capital, Santiago.
Arroyo does not know how old he is. A state census hazarded a guess, assigning him a birth date that makes him 66.
"We are old now. We can't go out in the channels any more. I am not sad. Life is easier now," he said in Spanish, as European tourists in bright orange life vests paid a lightning visit to the far-flung settlement of 120 people, reachable only by boat or helicopter.
He sold a few trinkets, earning less than $10.
His ancestors lived in their canoes, even sleeping and cooking in them, wearing nothing other than a piece of sea lion skin on their backs and smothering themselves in grease and fat when diving for food.
A view of the Rio Baker near the town of Cochrane, in the Chilean Patagonia region, some 1600 km (994 miles) south of Santiago
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Simple solution: move to the United States, start selling adoptions, get tribal recognition and start a casino.
Bush’s fault
... another of the far-flung region's tribes will soon disappear ...
I wonder why.
This is no 'extinction."
It is merely the human melting pot in action.
OH NO!!!
Who would make those clever hiking sweaters???
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Thanks BGHater. |
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[His ancestors lived in their canoes, even sleeping and cooking in them, wearing nothing other than a piece of sea lion skin on their backs and smothering themselves in grease and fat when diving for food.]
My heart aches to hear that such a wonderful lifestyle is soon to go extinct. Why, just the other day I slathered myself with Crisco, wrapped some naugahyde around my back and went diving in my neighbors freezing pool. For some reason, this was not appreciated, though I made more than $10 for the exposition.
Baggies man....my summer dress is always Patagonia Baggies
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