Rural Chile's Struggle with Isolation
The Lake District of southern Chile is renowned for its recreational attractions. Although many of the lakes have been accessible since the latter nineteenth century, others, like Lake Caburgua, were practically hidden. Roads were rutted, dust flew in the summer, and mud predominated in winter.
This isolation created a unique community of landowning small farmers, who survived by raising animals, seeding grain, and hewing railroad ties. Schools were few and often inaccessible. When children reached adulthood they often migrated to Chilean cities as well as to neighboring Argentina.
Image Descriptions (Left to Right)
Before the graveling of the Caburgua road, it was entirely dirt, dusty in summer and muddy in winter. This stretch is now paved and four lanes.
- The Caburgua Visual Archive: Overview
- Rural Chile's Struggle with Isolation
- Geographical and Political Distances
- Pucón Tourism Opens a Door
- Unforeseen Ways of Change
- Remembering the Past
- First Impressions
- The Spanish Conquest and Mapuche Rebellion
- New Immigrants
- Unique Forests and Flowers
- Adjusting to Nature's Laws
- Welcome to Caburgua
- Mate and History
- Politics: A Sport Becomes Dangerous
- Rural Unemployment
- Animals and Fruit
- Problems of Education
- Agriculture
- Fiestas
- Rites and other Celebration
- The Beginnings of Change
- Transformation