Cultural Values

El Mariscador

Unlike the “Mencho" who was very skillful in rural tasks, there were those who did not accept being absorbed by an alien culture and went into the depths of this water system to recreate their former life of hunter gatherer. They became the “mariscadores”.

The mariscadores led a nomadic and independent life, hunting and fishing for a living and having sporadic contact with the villages, consequently favoring the preservation of the Guarani language and customs. These Iberá men knew lacustrine territory better than anyone in which, with the help of a punting pole, they could move around on their flat bottomed “mariscadora” canoes. They also achieved a deep understanding of the behavior of animals in the area, which they hunted only with the help of a machete and a “chuza” or small harpoon.

The “mariscador” activity, which initially was for self-sustenance, developed (due to the international value of furs and exotic feathers) into a strong trade between mariscadores and collectors, who in most cases paid for the hides with goods rather than money. This economic movement gave rise to “collection points” which in some cases also functioned as supply stores.

The Iberá man of today still maintains some of the old ways such as the use of the punting pole canoe and of the horse, without which it would be impossible to move around in some areas. Another characteristic trait is their bare-feet, often wearing spurs and chaps. This has been wrongly taken as a sign of poverty when in fact it implies an excellent adaptation to the envirornment, since most of the time their feet are in the water.

When the Provincial Reserve was created in 1983 and hunting was banned, many of these mariscadores were offered to become the park rangers, to help preserve the wetlands by using their knowledge of it. Following this example, CLT also incorporated these men to their team, where today they are the main guardians of nature.