Toba

South America, North Argentina, Mision Tacaagle.
Once pushed out from their original home lands,
the Toba community has now settled
on the land officially given to them by government.

In the old days Toba people were nomads.
While men were fishing and hunting,
women were gathering plants and looking after children.
Times have changed and Tobas live differently now.
As there are less animals and fish, they are more involved in agriculture.
The Toba women look after children, cook,
wash clothes and do many more things while men are out.

Nowadays Tobas live in communities and share the land.
Houses are built from palm trees and each house can host one or more families.

Pace of life in the community is slow.
People spend a lot of time together, talking, drinking mate or just observing.
The language they speak among each other is also called Toba.
However, it is a dying language and Toba people remember with sadness
that they were not allowed to speak their mother tongue at school.

Tobas have large families with a lot of children (6-7 on average).
During the day you see a lot of childern playing and looking after each other.

Some would say that this is 100% organic lifestyle.
Tobas grow most of the food they need,
as well as get most building materials and tools from the nature.

Observing and thoughtful, 83 years old Jose Roca Castorini is
casique or chief of Toba community in Mision Tacaagle.
He makes major decisions together with counsel of other men of community.
His son will take over his duties from him as in many communities this position is inherited.

Delia Sanchez is 38 years old and has 7 children.
She is a real soul of the house and she
loves to make handicrafts and look after her children.

Toba women know how to make textiles and decors from colorful wool threads,
traditional bags, and baskets from the leafs of the native palm tree (called carandilla).
They are used for house needs, given as presents or sold to provide family needs.

Often centre and meeting point of Toba community is
the local church where people meet,
discuss latest news, spend time together.

Tobas -one of the largest indigenous groups in Argentina-
around 48 thousand tobas mainly living in Northern provinces. Yearly there is a day of Friendship when people from neighboring
Toba communities come together- to share laughter, food and joy. To a stranger they are like hiding pearls - close and trustless at the first glance,
but once befriended- open and incredibly beautiful
.

The Earth People * of San Ignacio

The Mapuche Indigenous people live in the south of Chile and Argentina.
They are a simple and timid people,
and many of them don´t have much contact with the outside world.
They have their own language - Mapudungun - but it is not used very often.

The Mapuches of San Ignacio live a quiet and
secluded life in harmony with nature.
The community is situated 80 km from the nearest town,Junin de los Andes,
where they go about once a month to buy supplies.

"Once during winter I was driving back from a visit,
and the car broke down in the middle of the dessert.
I had to spend the night in the car,then walk out to the highway
the next day to get help." says Guillermo Perez,
pastor of a church in San Martin de los Andes, 2 hours drive away.
He used to come to visit his friends in San Ignacio every week,
but now he is able to go only once every month.

In the Mapuche community, the women are the face of the family.
Margarita lives alone with two of her brothers,
a 30-40 minute horse ride from the nearest neighbor.
All her children have moved out of San Ignacio and
started their own lives and families.

There are three things that are sacred to the Mapuche:
the Weapons, the Women and the Horses.

Guillermo always brings something when he comes, this time it is kerosene,
as the winter is getting close and the houses will need to be heated up.
With the kerosene it is possible to get the humidity
out of the wood in order to start the fire.

Not many people own a car in the community.
When it's needed to go to town to get supplies,
they gather together to fill up the car.
In many ways you get further on a horse than by car in this rugged landscape.

Guillermo strikes a tune at Don Ignacio's house.
The Mapuche and their ancestors used to serve Nguinechen,
the Mapuche God,but now some have come to know God the creator.
Don Ignacio is the pastor in his community.

This used to be the home of Don Ignacio's family of 6 up til recently.
During the past 10 years the Municipality of Neuquen
have been building new houses for the Mapuche families.
The families don't tear down the old houses.
When the oldest member of the family dies,
they take off the roof so that the spirit can leave.

The last part of the house is being finished, now it only lacks the painting on the walls.
Ignacio's wife, Doña Rosa serves us mate.
The Mapuche are a hospitable and sharing people,
not slow to tell you to sit down,
share some mate with them, and offer you some home made bread.

The fruits of the modern civilization....

Sheepskin is both used in the households and sold to get some income.

Building friendships takes time and patience.
Guillermo says that his aim is not to convince his friends about
a certain belief or impose his modern culture,
but to help them realize who they are and the value they possess.

Guillermo leaves in his 1979 year model jeep,
not knowing when is going to be the next time he will be back.
Today he visited 3 families,
but hopefully he will be able to see more of his friends next time.
"It has been a good day!" he says, and we can only agree.

* In Mapudungun, the mapu means "the earth" and the che means "the people"

Pastor Guillermo D. Perez has been working with San Ignacio Mapuche community for several years now and is currently trying to raise more support throughout Argentina to his work. If you feel like wanting to help him in any way, please contact him (preferably in Spanish): cuentaconmigogk@hotmail.com or ice@smandes.com.ar