© Getty Images

Gaucho origins -

The first gauchos appeared in the late 17th century, gathering along the coast of Argentina, north of the River Plate.

© NL Beeld

Ancestry -

Historically, the gaucho was a mestizo, a person of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, who inhabited Argentina, Uruguay, and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.

© NL Beeld

Descendancy -

They were likely descended from unions between Iberian men and Amerindian women. The gaucho might also have African ancestry (black gauchos were commonplace in the Brazil-Uruguay borderlands, though rarely publicized).

© Getty Images

A figure of folklore -

The gaucho became a figure of folklore, especially in Argentina. Renowned as skilled and brave horsemen, gauchos also garnered a reputation as being unruly, rebellious even.

© Getty Images

Romantic character -

Cutting a somewhat mysterious figure and choosing a nomadic lifestyle, the gaucho quickly became romanticized in South America, and continues to be so.

© Getty Images

Horsemen and herdsmen -

In the 18th century, gauchos roamed the pampas outside of Buenos Aires in search of wandering herds of cattle and horses.

© Getty Images

Way of life -

Gauchos subsisted largely on meat, mostly beef, and the yerba mate, a plant species native to South America. The leaves of this plant could also be steeped into warm water to make a beverage rich in caffeine and other nutrients.

© Getty Images

Living conditions -

These cowboys of the pampas lived in small huts roofed with grass mats. Pieces of leather covered the door and windows.

© Getty Images

Gaucho society -

The gaucho lived a simple life. His only society was generally his family and companions from the local bar or grocery store. Entertainment was provided by musically gifted gauchos playing guitars, accordions, and occasionally the bombo legüero, a traditional Argentine drum.

© Getty Images

Weapons at hand -

Gaucho weapons still include the all-important lasso, knife, and boleadoras—a crude but effective device made of leather cords and three iron balls or stones that was thrown at the legs of an animal to entwine and immobilize it.

© Getty Images

Typical attire -

Traditional clothing worn by gauchos is symbolic of their skills in the saddle. In fact, the typical gaucho costume is still worn by modern Argentine cowhands.

© Getty Images

Traditional dress -

The gaucho's sartorial elements include bombachas, pleated trousers made with strong cotton fabric traditionally in beige, white, and black colors, gathered at the ankles. A chiripa (alpaca sash) girdles the waist, over which a highly decorative buckle belt is secured.

© Getty Images

Footwear -

The gaucho horse boot is often made having folds that resemble bellows. This is deliberate, the design fashioned to cordon off any approaching snake. When not in the saddle, a gaucho's preferred footwear is a pair of espadrilles, usually made with black canvas.

© Getty Images

Wearing the poncho -

The woolen poncho is rarely worn at full gallop, but is taken everywhere, carried either over the shoulder, wrapped around the waist, or tucked in front of or behind the saddle. It's used as protection against the cold, sun, rain, or snow. Topping out the gaucho attire is the sombrero.

© Getty Images

National icon -

In the 20th century, Argentina elevated the gaucho to a national icon in reverence to their skills in the saddle and the crucial role played in shaping the country's national identity and cultural fabric.

© Getty Images

Horsemanship -

Horsemanship is central to gaucho identity. They are practically born in the saddle and forge a profound bond with their steeds from an early age.

© Getty Images

Cattle herding -

Cattle herding is second nature to gauchos. They instinctively know how to round up herds, and can lasso individual animals with remarkable precision.

© Getty Images

Generation to generation -

Their knowledge of the environment and their craft, handed down from generation to generation, allows the gaucho to guide his charges, be it horses or cattle, across vast open landscapes.

© Getty Images

Horse whisperers -

Gauchos have an innate ability to communicate with horses through subtle cues and commands. They are the original horse whisperers.

© Getty Images

Understanding the equine character -

This deep understanding of the equine character allows for quick and seamless coordination during herding and riding.

© Getty Images

Great respect for horses -

As did their ancestors, modern-day gauchos retain a fierce pride and respect for the horse. Many of the steeds used today have Criollo blood, the native horse of the South American Pampas.

© Getty Images

Riding before they can walk -

Children are on horses long before they can walk, learning techniques such as perfecting the recado saddle, which provides stability and comfort during long rides.

© Getty Images

Learning essential skills -

By their teenage years, gauchos are already familiar with traditional gaucho skills such as lassoing, cattle branding, and riding competitions.

© Getty Images

Lassoing -

Lassoing, or la doma, is an integral skill all gauchos must perfect. The technique is used for capturing and controlling livestock safely and with finesse.

© Getty Images

Cattle branding -

Gauchos are also highly adept at cattle branding. This is an essential practice and needs to be mastered at an early age. The yerra (branding festival) is held every summer in the Sierras Chicas, Argentina.

© Getty Images

In competition -

Attending gaucho riding competitions, known as jineteada or doma, is the best way to witness first hand the incredible skills and bravado of these pampas cowboys.

© Getty Images

Attracting a crowd -

Events like the yerra and jineteada attract gauchos from across the land, where young boys and grown men alike show off their prestigious skills.

© Getty Images

The rise of the female gaucho -

While the gaucho remains a male preserve, times are changing. The population of female gauchos is growing, with many women joining their fathers and brothers out on the pampas of South America.

© Getty Images

Arrival of the gaucha -

Women have always been a part of gaucho life, but historically they've been side-saddled, so to speak. But with gender barriers falling all over the world, it's increasingly commonplace to see a gaucha joining the gauchos on the plains of Argentina to herd cattle.

© Getty Images

Preserving the gaucho heritage -

And it's the skills and traditions of the gauchos that continue to preserve the cultural heritage associated with these unique cowboys of the pampas.

Sources: (Estancia Ranquilco) (Yerba Crew) (Pieces of Argentina) (Pampeano) 

See also: Amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South America

© Getty Images