WICHI INDIANS IN ARGENTINA

THE WICHI FISHERMEN DETECTS THE FISH BY NOTING MOVEMENTS IN THE RIVER. THEY USE A NET AND SWING IT DOWNWARD IN A TRAP. FOR 90 YEARS THEY HAVE ENDURED A GRADUAL TAKEOVER OF THEIR LAND BY OUTSIDERS. ONCE A FERTILE GRASSLAND THAT WAS ONCE A FERTILE DOTTED AREA WITH BUSHES AND TREES IS NOW A SOMEWHAT DESERT WITH MANY ANIMALS GONE.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DISAPPEAR. HOWEVER THEIR TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE IS VANISHING AS THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS SLOWLY TAKING OVER. THEY ARE ORGANIZING TO SECURE THEIR LAND

SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THE EUROPEANS HAVE KILLED A NUMBER OF THEM, ALONG WITH A DISEASE. THESE FOLKS EXPLOITED THEIR ENVIRONMENT. TODAY THEY ARE STILL ABOUT 20 TO 50,000 IN A SEMI-ARID REGION. THEY LIVE INTIMATELY WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS. THEY LIVE IN SCORCHING HEAT OF 50 DEGREES C. THEY FISH IN THE WINTER . IN SUMMER THEY GROW CORN, MELONS, BEANS, BEANS, PUMPKINS, IN SUMMER GARDENS. THEY HUNT QA VARIETY OF MAMMALS THEY MARRY SOME OF THEIR NEIGHBORS.

NATIVE WEB.ORG