Patagonia Gaucho Fishing

by Dave Holder

I was recently lucky enough to find myself working again on a TV show as a survival consultant, all the way down south in Patagonia. The beauty of this job is that for several weeks before the cast arrives I get to hang out with the locals. My mission, in most cases, is to learn about the wildlife and plants; and also find out how the local indigenous folk use their traditional skills to harvest food and build shelters. From the information I glean from my hosts, I am then in a better position to advise both the cast and production crew about the peculiarities of the location we are working in. In Patagonia, my local host on a number of outings was Juan. In his mid-sixties, this rugged outdoorsman epitomized the solid and tough, yet kind, reputation the Argentinian Gaucho (South American cowboy) is bestowed with. We spent several long periods strolling through the forest, every so often pausing over some exotic flower to admire its beauty or tasting a berry that he enthusiastically offered to me. I followed this gentle soul dressed in his simple but functional attire of locally made wool clothing, jauntily wearing his Gaucho Boinas (woolen beret), and a wide leather belt to support his pants as he walked gracefully through the bush. He moved with the grace of someone 30 years his junior and always had a smile on his face; obviously outdoor life had benefited his health.

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